India's tea production slumps due to deficient rainfall

Siliguri, Feb 12 (ANI): India's tea industry is facing a slump in production due to deficient rainfall, and the erratic changes in the monsoon.

The tea industry is going through a rough patch for last three years due to rain deficiency.s a result, there was 20 percent drop in production last year and if the trend continues production is likely to be less by five percent.

"As per the long period average, we should have three days of rainfall in January and February combined. Now, this has not happened last year. This year also we have stepped into February and it has not happened either," said Bhaskar Chalia, assistant secretary of the Terai Bengal India Tea Association, Siliguri.

The adverse effect of the Global Warming and the emission of the Green House Gas have taken their toll.

"This affects the tea production in a very adversely manner. When the tea is in winter dormancy and we have pruned the bushes, a good shower is required for the pruned bushes to recover from stress as if we do not have rainfall, the bush goes into prolonged stress and recovery is also delayed." added Chalia.

The plains of West Bengal and Assam produce the best quality of tea leaves in the world.

India is the world's largest producer of tea and has about 170,000 hectares of land under tea cultivation. The average production of tea is 980 million kilograms per annum. (ANI)