Considered as one of the world’s finest, the tea industry in India’s eastern West Bengal is all set to witness lower production owing to deficient rainfall in the region. Additional Secretary, Tea Association of India, north Bengal branch, Sumit Ghosh, expressed his concern over the low production and the subsequent loss the industry would suffer. “At present, in comparison to last year, the tea production is lagging behind by 30-40%. The tea industry is in a bad shape. All of us in the tea fraternity are really worried as it has been more than three to four months and there has been no rainfall,”said Ghosh in Siliguri city in West Bengal. The tea gardens are the backbone of north Bengal’s industry which also creates the natural beauty of the region. The lush green tea fields along the slopes and the foothills of the Himalayas are a centre of attraction for nature lovers around the world. The slump in production is mainly due to the lack of rainfall that is required for good quality tea. Meteorological experts also confirmed the tea production in north Bengal region being adversely affected due to the adverse climate. A tea trader from Siliguri, Ravi Agarwal, said that since the quality of tea is affected due to the lack of rainfall, tea trade which flourishes in the month of May is likely to suffer a loss. “It is tough right now. At present only those who can afford the facility of appropriate irrigation in their farms, can manage to produce quality tea. We will suffer a huge loss particularly in the month of May in which tea is sold at maximum prices,” said Agarwal. The north Bengal plains along the Darjeeling hills produce the best quality of tea leaves in the world. The all India production of tea on a yearly basis on an average is 980 million kilograms and the production of tea in north Bengal is around 230 million kilograms a year. Tea is considered to be the most important beverage in India. Important discussions are made and decisions taken over endless cups of tea. It also has a good market throughout the world. But for the last couple of years there has been an array of bad conditions to this industry due to the adverse climatic conditions which comes as a huge setback to the Indian tea industry. Source: ft.lk/2014/04/29/lack-of-rainfall-adversely-affects-tea-production-in-eastern-india/