New Delhi, Friday, August 31, Tea production during the month of July in Assam is going to lessen by 18 per cent due to heavy rain and pest attack. The crop in Assam is down by about 6.5 million kg compared with the same period last year.
Tea production in other northern areas such as Terai, Dooars and Darjeeling is estimated to decline by 4 percent during the month of July. The downfall in production is higher in Assam as compared with other north India centers. This is being attributed to the dual impact of heavy rainfall as well as pest attack. The output in the country is down by 28 million kg or 11.5 percent at 215.82 million kg during the first five months this year.
The production of tea in the north has declined by 18 million kg to 128.81 kg while in the south it has dipped by about 10 million kg to 87.01 kg during January-May this year. Initially, the tea output was estimated to be down by 8 percent in the month of June.
Due to a dry spell in the first five months and heavy rains from June, the tea output in Assam is expected to reduce by 5 percent in 2012. In the first six months of 2012, the production of tea in the country is estimated to go down by 5.7 percent to 338 million kg as unfavourable weather in the top-producing state of Assam state hampered plucking earlier this year.
