Indian tea Association (ITA) estimates the losses of the tea industry of India to 21 billion rupees (276,8 million dollars) for the three spring months. Due to coronavirus and associated insulation in the major Indian tea Assam and West Bengal tea production declined by 65 percent in March and April, and in may the decline, estimated at 50 percent.
Although tea plantations in these States has partially resumed its work on 12 April, after three weeks of isolation, to collecting tea immediately failed. First I had to trim the tea bushes, grown for a period of quarantine. Only then teams of workers in a truncated part were able to start harvest. Meanwhile during this time was missed during the harvest the top leaves of tea bushes, which are considered the most valuable and give up to a third of the entire annual revenue of the tea producers. Thus, because the insulation was lost, according to ITA, 140 million kg of tea.
However, this difficulty is not over. Now in the East India heavy rains, which can destroy about 10 million kilograms of tea because of the flood of the Brahmaputra. This means loss for tea companies in the amount of 1.5 billion rupees (20 million dollars). It will be enough if the rains will continue for 4-5 days.
Aaromalunni in connection of what is happening urge state governments to support the industry. As stated by the Association of small producers of tea in Assam, about 40 per cent of the workers are in a desperate situation and need immediate help.
As expected, because of the coronavirus and the rains the price of black tea may grow.
