The Tea Board of India has officially discontinued operations at the Jorhat Tea Auction Centre (JTAC), triggering strong backlash from growers and industry stakeholders who warn of serious logistical and economic consequences for Assam’s tea sector.
The Assam tea industry is closely monitoring developments in Iran and the wider Middle East, amid fears that a prolonged conflict could disrupt exports to the region — the largest buyer of Assam orthodox tea.
Assam’s opposition leader Debabrata Saikia has called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi to announce a special revival package for the state’s tea industry, which is reeling under climate change-induced production losses and a steep fall in green leaf prices.
On Monday, members of the All Assam Small Tea Growers’ Association (AASTGA) staged a protest outside the Dibrugarh Deputy Commissioner’s office, decrying the collapse in prices.
A drought-like situation in Assam is spelling trouble for both farmers and the state’s tea industry, with a sharp deficit in rainfall leaving fields parched and tea bushes under severe stress.
Climate change impact is no longer just about reduced yields and is reshaping the traditional rhythm of tea production. The predictable cycle of flushes—the periodic growth spurts of new tea leaves that determine harvest quality and volume—has been thrown into disarray.
