AGARTALA, Dec 8 - With barely few months for ending of season, tea production of Tripura is likely to witness a decline in spite of record breaking rainfall, one of the key factors for good crop, feel experts.
In the last year 2015-16, the State registered a record production of 9.6 million MT of finished tea despite �hostile situation�. And, local tea planters seemed upbeat over good crop and price in the auction markets. Some tea planters have got at par Cachar tea price bringing cheers to the tea estates.
But this year, tea planters are worried over the production of crop in various tea gardens across the State. According an advisory bulletin released by Tea Board of India (TBI), the State will record an average 8-10.6 per cent downfall in tea production due to untimely showers and shortage of sunny days.
�Well, there had been heavy shower from April leading to shortage of required number of sunny days. For good crop, adequate number of sunny days are required, which was missing since April�, pointed out an expert associated with tea research and advisory works, on Friday.
He further said, �Early rainfall is required for normal growth of tea plants but this year there was no rainfall in the months of January and February that affects the normal crop�.
However, the experts hoped State�s tea industry will witness �acche din� for the next five to six years as tea planters have already embraced various scientific steps to raise tea production.
Plants normally produce good crop for 30/40 years and then start declining both in production and productivity barring a few cases. �In normal procedure, we prescribe uprooting and replanting for a garden after 30/40 years in a phased manner. If tea planters bank on scientific method, the industry will grow automatically as the State can produce good quality finished tea as it has done last year�, he opined.
On the long pending demand for a logo, he said, a process has already begun to provide a separate logo for Tripura tea. �There was a meeting of Tripura Tea Promotion Board (TTPB) to provide a separate logo for tea for proper marketing. I do hope, TBI will take a final call on the issue very shortly�, he added.
On the projection of reduction in tea production, Narendrapur Tea Estate manager Biplab Dutta said tea production will be less due to incessant and untimely rainfall during the peak season of crops. �Besides, sunny days are required for photosynthesis, a natural practice of plant. It has not happened this year which will cost dear for tea planters here�, he said.