Agriculture News : Uncomfortable Weather Condition Affecting Assam Tea Production.

Guwahati: In Assam, Incessant rainfall accompanied by hailstorm has severely affected tea bushes. Assam is the India's largest tea producer state. Tea producers and planters are worried that this will affect production of premium variety second flush tea.

In upper Assam, some tea estates were flooded following the heavy rains. Second flush tea accounts for 20% of the total tea production, and commands a premium in the domestic and international markets. The second flush production is from May end to July.

During the current pre-monsoon period, Assam has already recorded 125% of its normal rainfall, 25% above normal.

Secretary of Tea Association of India, Guwahati, Dipanjal Deka, said "Several tea growing areas have reported flooding in tea estates. Tea leafs were severely affected by the hailstorm which occurred on several days. There was continuous downpour for two to three weeks in April this year. The production of second flush tea will definitely get affected this year."

India's production in the year 2014 was 1207.31 million kgs, of which Assam's production was 610.97 million kgs. In 2015, India accounted for 1191m kgs of tea production, and Assam roughly produced 614.57m kgs.

Source: http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/