New Delhi: Continuing dry spell has proved havoc for the Northeastern region and adjoining North Bengal otherwise known for its salaburus climate and affected its main cash crop tea besides damaging other crop and causing a host of other environmental problems like forest fire.
Since the beginning of this year, adverse weather conditions have been playing havoc on the tea crops in both Assam, other Northeastern states and North Bengal.
Of considerable concern has been the dry and drought-like conditions continuing through the current month – with no immediate prospects of rain – thereby signifying gloomy yields of current and future crops.
The drought-like conditions are reflecting on the poor recovery of tea bushes after pruning and skiffing operations.
Wilting and debilitation of maintenance foliage and leaf scorching have been widely reported.
The Indian Tea Association said the continuous dry and drought-like condition in Assam and north Bengal would lead to poor recovery from tea bushes and rise in costs, while giving a muted crop outlook.
Adverse weather conditions have prevailed since the beginning of the new season of 2014.
Total rainfall from January till April 20 has been 71mm against a crop requirement of 310mm during the period in Northern Assam.
The ITA estimates reveal the steepest shortfall in rain of 49 per cent in upper Assam districts between January and March, covering Dibrugarh, Doom Dooma, Naharkatia, Moran, Tingri and Panitola.
The Terai (the Siliguri sub-division of Darjeeling district) witnessed a 40 per cent decline in rain, while Darjeeling, which has close to 87 estates, has seen a 37 per cent shortfall.
Besides affecting the tea crop the dry weather has sparked forest fires at various places of Northeast. Such forest fires are not only engulfing large chunks of forest but also houses and crops in the vicinity.