Drenching Hits Assam Tea Output

The crop and weather conditions for tea were normal in Terai and Dooars but poor in Assam in September. The position in Darjeeling was not clear.

Doom Dooma in upper Assam reported poor tea out-turn last month but immediate prospects are good with favourable weather. In September, wet weather has affected production in upper Assam, rainfall being much above normal for the season.

But the monsoon has practically ceased and an early cold weather is imminent in Doom Dooma. It reported delayed despatch of crop due to floods.

In Nahark-atia also, out-turn was very poor last month, weather being abnormally dry and unfavourable. Rainfall for the month has been deficient. The crop to date is slightly less than last year what with helopeltis, red spider and blight being prevalent.

In Margherita, production is expected to be normal and the immediate prospects are fair with seasonable weather.

In Tingri, weather is abnormally hot and the crop prospects are unfavourable. But no report has come from Dibrugarh, Panitola, Moran and north Lakhimpur.

While there was no report from central Assam, Bishnauth in lower Assam reported seasonable weather. But Tezpur, Borsola, Mangaldai in lower Assam and south Cachar did not register any significant development.

However, immediate prosp-ects are expected to be fair in Jainti in eastern Dooars as the weather conditions in most districts are normal. But immediate prospects are bad in Kalchin with dry and hot weather conditions affecting tea production.

More importantly, though there was no report from Banarhat and Binnaguri, out-turn in central Dooars to date is considerably better over that of last year. Helopeltis and thrips are prevalent.

In western Dooars also, crop prospects are good with favourable weather conditions in most districts. But there was no report from Chalsa and Nagrakata.

Meanwhile, Guwahati tea auction sale slated for October 27 has been rescheduled to October 28, 1998. Guwahati Tea Auction Committee announced this in view of Diwali festival in western India. The chairman of Federation of All India Tea Traders' Association, P O Desai had earlier requested GTAC to reschedule the auction sale.

The deferment was sought as effective participation from a major section of buyers would not be forthcoming due to the holiday.

Guwahati is the largest auction centre handling approximately around six million kg every week.