Assam tea industry asks for irrigation scheme

Gradual change in the climatic conditions of the region, which is shifting slowly towards a rainless weather condition, is making "survival tough" for the Assam tea industry. Of late, at the start of every production season, the industry is faced with a drought-like weather condition, which is turning from bad to worse with each passing year. The tea industry now wants the government to come up with a massive and affordable irrigation scheme for all tea gardens of Assam so as to help the gardens beat the challenge of climatic change.

Generally, tea production in Assam picks up from the month of April, but of late harsh weather condition in the preceding months February and March has been delaying crop production in many tea gardens. Irrigation, which was something unnecessary and unimaginable few years back, has now become utmost essential for tea gardens across the state, particularly in Brahmaputra Valley, the main tea producing region of Assam. Though big gardens, which are mainly owned by corporate houses, survive the onslaught of weather as they have their own irrigation facilities, the smaller and medium sized ones are face the heat and their production takes a beating.