Worsening climatic dynamics poses threat to Darjeeling tea

SILIGURI: Increasing atmospheric temperature is affecting the quality and quantity of Darjeeling tea, threatening the livelihood of more than two lakh families that depend of the tea gardens in the Eastern Himalayan hills.

Tea is a major economic pillar of Darjeeling, which produces around 10 million kilogram of processed tea from plantations spread across nearly 50,000 acres. Global warming and an increasing influx of people are affecting this environmentally important region, in turn hurting tea production.

Temperatures have been continuously increasing. For instance, the average January day-time temperature has risen to 13.9 degree Celsius so far this year from 13.8 degrees in 2014 and 13.3 degrees the year before. Minimum temperatures have also shown an uptrend during this period. Relative humidity – another key factor for tea bushes – has fallen to 70 per cent this year from 76 per cent in 2013.

“Tea bushes love chill and moisture. During the no-leaf-plucking period from end-December to mid-February, the bushes need sufficiently low temperature and adequate moisture level in air for proper rejuvenation of health. Any trouble in that can badly impact year-long yield,” said D Bargohain, an expert at the Tea Research Association.

The conditions aren’t expected to improve, say weather experts.

This situation is “compelling many planters to consider higher level of inorganic yield boosters to compensate. But that may pull down price of this premium tea in the international quality-conscious market,” said a planter.

While controlling natural changes would be difficult, experts say authorities should at least try reducing the impact caused by humans.

According to census figures, population in Darjeeling district had grown nearly nine times between 1951 and 2001, compared with an about threefold jump in the national average, said DP Kar, a socio-political observer. The largely unplanned and rapid urbanisation to accommodate this population growth is imparting pressure on green cover of the area hampering climatic condition.

“Policy makers must stop looking through political eyes. But should use logical and technical mind if they want to revert the scenario,” said Kar.