Assam to witness 10-15% decline in tea production in 2021, predicts Tea Association

KOLKATA: The Tea Association of India revealed in a recent report that grim days lie ahead for the tea industries in Assam and North Bengal as natural calamities have resulted in lesser crop production in both states.

Secretary General P.K. Bhattacharjee in a release stated that the prevailing drought like situation in both the states of Assam and North Bengal are putting the tea industry under a lot of pressure as crop production is getting lesser. The recent hailstorm in the tea-growing areas wreaked havoc upon the already devastated industry.

The report further revealed that Assam could harvest only 0.23 million kilograms (mkgs) during the period of January-February this year as compared to 0.27 mkgs in the year 2020 and 0.44 mkgs the year before.

The Association is predicting a 10-15% lower crop figure for the month of March.

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As the tea prices were hiked for a brief period in the year 2020 due to a shortage of supply during the months-long lockdown, it was offset by the loss in production as well.

The situation has worsened due to the widespread damage caused by the recent hailstorm in the tea growing regions of North Bengal.

Plantations such as Chengmari TE, Ranicherra TE and Aryaman TE have reported extensive damage due to the Hailstorm on the night of April 18, as most of the mature and young tea bushes have been severely damaged.

Assam produces approximately 4.5% of its total crop in the month of March and 6% in April which is around 32 mkgs and 44 mkgs respectively. These figures will see a dip down by 10-15% this year as compared to 2019 due to the above-mentioned calamities.

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