Lockdown may hit sale of First Flush, Darjeeling’s premium tea, fear planters Production of First Flush requires the plucking of the finest two leaves and a bud of the tea plant. But the lockdown, which started on March 25 and was lifted for the tea industry only on April 12, resulted in the overgrowth of plants.

Pramod Giri | Edited by Sohini Sarkar | Hindustan Times|  Siliguri : First Flush, Darjeeling’s most premium tea may be hit by the worldwide economic slowdown and the impact of lockdown on the production of quality tea, fear planters in the famous hill district of West Bengal.

With 87 gardens, the Darjeeling tea industry depends largely on the premium quality First Flush tea for sustenance, as it fetches the highest price in domestic and foreign markets. The industry employs 55,000 permanent workers, who annually produce around 8 million kilograms of different varieties of Darjeeling tea, a fraction of which is harvested in spring and comprises the First Flush.

Thirty-five to 40 percent of the industry’s annual revenue is generated from the sale of First Flush, which is produced mostly between March 15 and April 15, planters said.

Depending on the quality and demand, First Flush tea can fetch anything between Rs 1200 to Rs 20,000 a kg, industry insiders said.

Production of First Flush requires the plucking of the finest two leaves and a bud of the tea plant. But the lockdown, which started on March 25 and was lifted for the tea industry only on April 12, resulted in the overgrowth of plants.

Some tea gardens are located at lower elevations, where leaves and buds appear first. Most others are located at middle and high elevations, which witness the last harvesting subsequently; only the lower estates were able to produce their First Flush on time.

“Lifting the lockdown for the tea industry, while keeping other sectors under lockdown, resulted in stockpiling of all types of tea that are produced,” Rishi Saria, Director of Gopaldhara and Rohini tea estates said.

The closure of courier services meant that plantations could not send samples to their main offices which are mostly in Kolkata. So they simply harvested their varieties and stored them in warehouses. “Transporting the tea is still a problem, as courier services are not fully operational,” Saria said.

Ashok Lohia, Chairman, Chamong Tea Exports Pvt Ltd, said, “There will be substantial revenue loss that comes from First Flush.” The group has 13 gardens in Darjeeling.

The industry has also missed the best climatic conditions required for the premium quality First Flush, Lohia said.

“We are keeping our fingers crossed. We hope the demand for First Flush tea in foreign countries remains the same,” said Lohia. Germany is one of the major buyers among European countries, he added.

Binod Mohan, Chairman, Darjeeling Tea Association is worried about the consequences of the industry being unable to produce premium First Flush this season.

“In the coming days, this may affect the demand for First Flush in the international market as there can be high economic recession. This may lead to distress sale. Also, we ensured quality in the past, but the lockdown has affected that too,” Mohan said.

(Courtesy, source and link- Hindustan Times - https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/lockdown-may-hit-sale-of-first-flush-darjeeling-s-premium-tea-fear-planters/story-0Vk7Ho15fo1dpAaU43x15J.html  )