JOIN USDarjeeling tea connoisseurs will these days say there is literally too many a sip between the cup and the lip.
Their ruing comes from the prolonged shutdown in the Darjeeling Hills of West Bengal, which had not only affected the vibrant tourism industry, but has virtually wiped out a large chunk of the world-famous Second flush tea production and has completely derailed the entire Monsoon and Autumn flush produce.
Figures released by the Tea Board show production of Darjeeling Tea has plummeted by 90% in June over the same month last year. The Gorkhaland agitation has left tea growers in a tough situation.
Planters fear of colossal losses due to the shutdown and a severe beating on the exclusive Darjeeling Tea brand in the export market.
“The shutdown has halted production since June 15. Since then, all hill tea gardens are closed. Before that, we could salvage some of this year’s First flush. But, the Second flush crop, which starts to come from end of May and continues till July-end, has been mostly ruined,” said a tea planter.
“After the Second flush, we have the Monsoon flush, followed by Autumn flush, before the gardens are pruned and the winters set in. This year, the shutdown has left us with nothing to carry forward. The bonsai tea plants, which are supposed to be 28 inches high from the ground level with table-top pruning, are now 45 to 50 inches tall. Added to that are the weeds, creepers and insects. The gardens have now turned to tea forests,” he said.
Speaking to DH, Binod Mohan, chairman of Darjeeling Tea Association (DTA), said, “This shutdown during the prime tea growing season has dealt a body blow to the Darjeeling tea industry. The planters, labourers, transporters, packers, auctioneers, retailers… everyone is suffering. We are staring at a bare minimum loss of Rs 300 crore.” There has been a steady decline in the output of Darjeeling tea over the last few decades from the 87 tea gardens on the slopes of eastern Himalayas, the only region in the world where this tea with its unique muscatel flavour can be grown, Mohan said.
“The gardens have switched over to complete organic farming, but there has been a steady decline in soil-health since the days when chemicals were used. The ageing tea bushes (average 75 years) and climate change, which is an intrinsic part of Darjeeling Tea cultivation, have also added to the worries of planters. And then, there is the issue of un-remunerative prices,” said a senior DTA functionary.
Industry watchers say the average production cost of the Darjeeling tea is around Rs 450 per kg. Tea Board statistics shows that output stood at 8.42 million kgs in 2014, climbing to 8.69 million kgs in 2015, and again dropping to 8.45 million kgs in 2016.
“With over 55% of crop turning organic, production cost has escalated with increased need of pest-control management and dedicated labour force. Large-scale labourer absenteeism also hits cultivation hard,” Mohan said.
DTA said the industry has incurred a direct loss of more than Rs 100 crore mostly in foreign exchange till date as Darjeeling tea is an exportable product and the industry is looking at a further indirect loss of Rs 150 crore.
Chairman of Chamong Tea Group Ashok Lohia told DH that the DTA has approached the West Bengal government and sought a relief package.
“Even if the gardens open anytime in the end of August or early September, it will take at least 20 days to only clear the weeds. Then comes the question of new leaves, plucking of those leaves and finally producing the exquisite quality for which Darjeeling tea is known. All this can’t be done hurriedly and with the Durga Pujas in the end of September and paucity of labourers during the festive season, it is virtually impossible to regain the losses. We are facing an uncertain future. We are waiting for the gardens to open.
We have a rough estimate of the loss figures, but an objective calculation can be done only after we do a proper assessment,” Lohia said. Tea Board chairman P K Bezboruah is also a worried man. “We have already received very concerned calls from USA, Germany, UK and the rest of Europe. The stocks have completely dried up and if the strike continues, we don’t know what will happen. If the gardens open by September and the pruning of tea bushes starts, then only we can expect some First flush tea next year. Any more delay will just ruin things,” he said. Bezboruah told DH that tea growers and auction houses have already approached them for a solution.
“The Tea Board does not have huge allocations, and funds will be a major hindrance for the growers whenever the gardens open. We feel this is a crisis to a major national brand and the Board will be with the planters if they decide to approach the Prime Minister or the Union Finance Minister for a one-time package. We have to save Darjeeling Tea,” he said.