Decline in tea production n in Assam, West Bengal, producers fear 50% crop loss

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaMay 13, 2024

Tea production during March 2024 declined by 40% in Assam and 23% in West Bengal compared to the production during the corresponding period of 2023.

It was revealed from the data released by the Tea Board of India on Monday. 

Due to the lack of rainfall and high temperatures, the region has witnessed significant wilting of tea bushes, which indicates further crop loss in the coming months.

“It is estimated that if sufficient and well-distributed rainfall is not received immediately, the crop loss may be to the tune of over 50% in the coming months,” Tea Association of India (TAI) secretary-general Prabir Kr Bhattacharjee said here on Monday.

While the average rainfall in both Assam and West Bengal was significantly low in February this year as against the last 5-6 years, the data published by India Meteorological Department (IMD) from March 1 to May 13 has shown significantly less rainfall in the tune of 2% to 76% in the major tea growing districts of Assam and West Bengal as against normal rainfall received by the districts during the same period.

“Since, tea is a rain-fed crop, not receiving sufficient rain during these important months hampers the production of its premium first flush and second flush during this time and loss of crop during this period will severely affect the cash flows of the companies,” Bhattacharjee said.

“However, this loss of crop is not commensurate with strong price recovery. While there is a marginal improvement in All India Auction average price in last 2 sales, the weekly average price of All India Auction was almost Rs 6 to Rs 33 less in all sales starting this calendar year,” Bhattacharjee also said.

“The strange phenomenon of drop in crop production with no concomitant rise in prices is in stark contrast to the 2020 scenario when drop in production due to Covid closure caused a sharp rise in realization of tea prices,” he said.

 He also said the Industry stands at a cross-road where on one hand it is committed to producing “compliant teas”, and therefore welcomes the recent flurry of notifications and actions initiated by the FSSAI authorities in notifying “chemicals” that are banned in tea. 

 Reference is made to FSSAI notification No QA/3/2021/FSSAI-Part(3) on November 29, 2023, notified under Section-43(1) and Section-42(2) of FSSAI Act, 2006 to test 20 banned pesticides in addition to 33 chemicals specified for Tea as per FSS Regulation 2011. 

 TAI welcomed this proactive step of the FSSAI as it is working on the concept of one nation, one commodity, one Regulator, the resolution of which was undertaken at the recently held meeting proposing the introduction of various amendments to streamline food safety and regulation.

“With the Tea Board working in tandem with the FSSAI, it is to be expected a level playing field will be established to usher in a regime of availability in “compliant teas” in the market,” he said.

TAI also issued an advisory to all its members On February 2 with an updated account of prevalent regulatory impositions which was followed by the CCPA directive on April 18, 2024, expressing its resolve to bring forth compliant tea in the market cutting across all spectrums of tea stakeholders even if it heralds a drop in production.