Tea trouble simmers after hot summer, dry spell in Himachal
According to data from the Tea Board India at Palampur, Himachal produced only 8,67,216 kg of tea by October this year, a sharp decline from the 11,07,576 kg produced during the same period in 2023
The tea industry in Himachal, centred around the Kangra district, faced a double setback this year, first from an unusually hot summer followed by a red spider mite infestation, both of which have resulted in a significant drop in production.
The lack of rainfall in April and May had already affected early-season production. Hopes for recovery were dashed after output remained consistently low, with each subsequent month recording lower production compared to last year. Tea growers usually cease plucking by October.
According to data from the Tea Board India at Palampur, Himachal produced only 8,67,216 kg of tea by October this year, a sharp decline from the 11,07,576 kg produced during the same period in 2023.
Earlier, the production had reached just 2,26,714 kg by May, significantly lower than the 331,787 kg recorded in the same period last year — a shortfall of 1,05,073 kg.
The state faced a prolonged dry spell in the winter season, followed by insufficient rainfall from March onwards, compounding the woes of the Himachal tea industry this year. However, tea planters were hopeful of recovery during the rainy season but the infestation of red spider dealt another blow to the tea industry. The months of June and July had seen insufficient rain.
Kangra Valley Small Tea Planters Association president Suksham Butail explained that tea planters ceased plucking by October 20, even though it could have continued until mid-November, due to a severe red spider mite infestation. “Tea production is lower this year,” he noted. “First, a drought-like situation in May and June impacted the crop, and then the red spider mite outbreak in September and October affected almost all tea gardens. It spread from one garden to another and planters struggled to control it.”
Red spider mite infestations have hit the industry on multiple occasions in the last few years, but this season’s outbreak was particularly severe, likely due to prevailing weather conditions, Butail said, adding, “As the state witnessed no rainfall in the last two months, we believe that it may impact the production next year as well.”
Rajiv Sud, owner of Palampur-based Himalayan Brew Tea company, emphasises on the importance of rain for the tea cultivation, saying, “The harsh weather is the main reason behind the fall in tea production. There were no winter rains and summers were hot. The red spider mite attack was major this year to such an extent that we have not seen in the past. We need to preserve our green spaces and avoid uprooting of trees to keep temperatures under control.”
Tea Board India Palampur deputy director Rakesh Kumar said they were staring at a 2.5 lakh kg production shortfall. “It is an all-India pattern this year due to erratic weather except in south India. The production is hit in north India and Himachal is no exception. Here 80% of the gardens do not have irrigation facilities and any shortfall of rain has a major impact on the leaf production. Due to dry weather conditions spider mite infestation also occurs.”
Detailing ways to minimise losses, Kumar said, “The tea planters should follow proper pruning and avoid improper plucking (plucking everything).”
Once popular in Europe, Central Asia and Australia, and even Afghanistan and Pakistan, the Karga tea has lost favour and production has plummeted in recent years. Dedicated efforts, however, have ceased the rot as the annual production hovers at around 9 to 10 lakh kg. That, however, is far less than 17 to 18 lakh kg produced a few decades ago.
In 2013, the annual production was around 10.49 lakh kg, but hovered around the 9 lakh kg mark between 2014 to 2018. In 2019, the production again increased to 9.54 lakh kg, followed by 10.87 lakh kg in 2020. In 2021 and 2022, the production remained below 10 lakh kg only to cross the mark last year.