GUWAHATI, Apr 19: Incessant rains coupled with hailstorm has triggered a panic button among Assam tea planters as they fear loss in annual tea output if the situation persists for another few days. According to Indian Meteorological Department forecast, North Eastern states, including Assam, will witness heavy rains accompanied with hailstorm for another week. In such a scenario, the second flush of tea which is crucial for the bumper production is likely to get affected impacting the annual output. Assam accounts for 50 per cent of total tea production in the country. Second flush tea accounts for 20 per cent of total tea production. The state roughly produced 537 million kg of tea last season with a turnover of approximately Rs 5,650 crore last year. In past few years due to erratic weather conditions, the production of premium quality got affected in India’s largest tea growing state. Tea planters’ fear that period of second flush which generally remains for two months, from May last to July, will shorten this year “There is a sizeable dip in production in the month of April this year compared to the previous year. It needs mention that April-May is the peak time for Assam tea, as it yields the second flush of green leaf. Produce of the second flush is rich in texture and flavour and is mostly exported”, Diapnjal Deka, Secretary of Indian Tea Association told UNI. The incessant rainfall deprives crops of sufficient sunlight and a warm temperature during the day time in April-May, thus creating unfavorable conditions for crops to grow fully. The ideal weather conditions for the tea crop are rainfall at night and warm weather during the daytime. And the possibility of fall in production has firmed up the prices if tea in the Guwahati since the onset of this season. (UNI)
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