Kolkata, Oct 6 — Heavy rains and a spate of landslides in North Bengal’s hills, Terai and Dooars areas have sent shock waves through the region’s tea farms. The Tea Association of India says the damage could cost the sector more than ₹100 crore.
Ram Avtar Sharma, secretary of the Tea Association’s Dooars branch, told reporters that while exact figures are still being tallied, early estimates already put losses at over ₹100 crore—a figure he says is unprecedented for North Bengal.
“The tea sector here has never seen losses this large before,” Sharma said. “We urgently need government help.”
The disaster hit the industry in two major ways. First, the heavy rainfall and mudslides destroyed large portions of tea plantations before the “two leaves and a bud” could even reach maturity. Second, waterlogged storehouses soaked processed tea leaves, adding to the losses.
Preliminary reports show that about 30 of the 276 tea gardens in the hills, Terai and Dooars regions are already heavily damaged. The Terai region bears the brunt, with roughly 15 gardens hit hardest.
A Tea Association associate said, “These are initial numbers. The final count of affected gardens and the total financial hit will become clearer as investigations finish.”
Industry watchers warn that the dual blow to production could raise tea prices in the coming months. Analysts predict that consumers may see higher costs as supply shrinks and input costs climb.
The government’s response has not yet been announced, but many farmers and tea mill owners are calling for swift assistance to rebuild plants, clear waterlogged sites, and secure irrigation for the next planting season.
Source: ianslive
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