Drought conditions affect Darjeeling tea production

A sustained drought-like condition in Darjeeling has affected the premium first flush, which fetches a high price for tea crop, major growers said.

"The severe lack of rainfall in several parts of Darjeeling has affected the first flush which happens the period between March to April," Chairman and Managing Director of Andrew Yule Kallol Datta told PTI. He said the first flush accounted almost 10 per cent of the entire tea crop in Darjeeling and most of the producers had missed out on that. Datta said though there were rains now, the drought-like conditions had caused nearly 30 per cent loss in tea production but there was a possibility of a recovery during the period between July to September. Chairman of Darjeeling Tea Association (DTA) S S Bagaria said one-third of the area under tea cultivation in Darjeeling was still reeling under drought-like conditions.

"The Mirik Valley area is still having lack of rainfall. The bushes are drying and there is a shortage of leaves. This makes the economics of the gardens in the area unviable," Bagaria said.

He said that so far, crop loss in the premium tea producing region was down by 40 per cent from the last year. To add to the woes there was a long summer last year in the European Union which resulted in a huge carry-over stock, he said. During the summer, tea consumption in the EU declines considerably as people prefer other drinks. However, producers were of the view that the crop loss is unlikely to have any impact on the price level.

The entire Darjeeling area produces nine million kg of orthodox tea which is generally exported.

According to the Indian Tea Association (ITA), the gardens were waiting for the second flush season. Rains have so far been insufficient and scattered in the Darjeeling Hills and the situation is so bleak that the ensuing second flush may also get hampered by the weather conditions, it feared.The ITA said most of its member gardens were suffering from a dry spell and drought-like situation. The rains during the fag-end of April had brought some hope but the situation now is not very good.

In May, there have been very scanty and scattered rains in tea gardens and that were not sufficient at all. The situation can, however, improve if there is some good rains immediately, it said.