Long dry spell affects output in Bengal tea industry

SILIGURI: Although Monsoon is yet to touch the whole country, raindrops have started soaking the soil in different regions. But prolonged dry spell that is still continuing in sub Himalayan West Bengal has already caused heavy production loss to the labour intensive tea industry.

“Tea plantations are always dependent on the whims of weather. So production loss due to adverse weather is nothing new. But the situation this time has gone far from absorbable level for this labour intensive industry. After around 40% production downfall in April, we had 15% less than excepted yield in May first half,” said veteran planter M. Bansal.

“Beside around 40% green leaf production loss during March April, low rainfall has substantially increased our irrigation and pest management cost pulling up our cost of production. But, the price realization has gone down in the tune of around Rupees 5 to 6 per kg compared to last year same period,” said K K Mintry, Chairman Terai India Planters Association.

Things have become even tougher for the small growers. “Organized big gardens are somehow managing with artificial irrigation. But that is not possible for the small growers. Though exact quantification of production loss is too tough, as per rough estimation, in small tea grower sector in this region it should not be of less than worth Rs 100 crore,” said B G Chakroborty. Secretary of CISTA, a national umbrella body for thousands of small tea grower.

Beginning 4th of May, nationwide rainfall for the week has been recorded as favorable 12mm, 3% higher than the long term average for this period. But cumulative rainfall during whole meteorology season beginning 1st March remained much below normal with only 77.3mm of downpour, around 12% lesser than long term average.

The tea belt in Sub Himalayan West Bengal is under even worse situation where rainfall in the week beginning 4th May has been recorded as 49.4mm with a departure of minus 30% from long duration average. The cumulative rainfall during the whole season here remained 9 % below normal level.

However, the meteorologists have given hope for the silver lining of approaching favourable monsoon. But, “In plantation, a loss once incurred can never be compensated,” said Mintry.