Hill tea production in July: Nil

AVIJIT SINHA, TT, Siliguri, Sept. 7: A fresh list of figures released by the Tea Board of India has only reconfirmed the fear of the Darjeeling tea industry about losing an entire month's production because of the strike.

According to the data, there has been no production of Darjeeling tea in July, considered one of the peak production seasons in the hills.

The tea industry has been one of the worst-affected sectors in the shutdown. Planters who own tea estates in the hills expressed apprehension about losing the entire production for the year.

"It has become clear that we have lost a major chunk of the production because of the strike in the peak season. Given the current situation, we are not even sure of producing tea in the last three months of the year," a planter said.

According to the new data, 1.06 million kilos of tea was produced in July last year, whereas production has been nil in the corresponding month this year.

"This means a loss of 100 per cent in July," a planter rued.

The figures also indicate that Darjeeling has been able to produce only 2.07 million kilos of tea before the indefinite shutdown was clamped on June 15.

"September is the last month of the peak season. Change in weather conditions lead to a decline in production of tea from October. Even if the strike is withdrawn tomorrow, it would take over a month for the tea estates to prepare the bushes and make the factories operational," another planter pointed out.

Last year, the production of tea till July was 4.06 million kilos. The annual production stood at 8.13 million kilos.

"We fear we would hardly get any more Darjeeling tea to export this year," said Ankit Lochan, a Siliguri-based tea exporter.