Guwahati, May 15: The Tea Association of India (TAI) has said that the production of tea in Assam and West Bengal might fall by 50% if the two states do not receive sufficient and well-distributed rainfall immediately.

The tea industry of Assam and Bengal have been affected, due to less rainfall.

The data indicated a drop of production of around 40 % in Assam and around 23% in West Bengal up to March this year when compared to the figures during the same period last year.

Prabir K Bhattachrjee, secretary of Tea Association of India said, “due to lack of rainfall and high temperature, the region has witnessed significant wilting of tea bushes, which indicates further crop loss in the coming months,”.

Bhattacharjee said while the average rainfall in the two states was significantly low in February, the data published by the Indian Meteorological Department for March 1 to May 13 showed less rainfall, ranging from 2 % to 76%, in the major tea-growing districts.

He added this loss of crop is not commensurate with strong price recovery, stating that while there is a marginal improvement in the all-India auction average price in the last two sales, the weekly average price has fallen by Rs 6-33 in all sales this calendar year.

Climate change has also been affecting the tea industry and due to that the quality of tea leaves has been affected.

Read: Assam: Female Home Guard Suspended for Hugging, Kissing Popular Singer During Concert

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