Climate change threatens Assam’s tea plantations: Study

New Delhi, July 5: India’s favourite morning pick-meup is set to give some serious nightmares to its policymakers. Thirty-four years from now, roughly 90% of tea areas in Assam could be “unsuitable” for plantation, hit by climate change. At stake are some of the finest tea varieties with that divinely familiar malty flavour, and over a half of India’s supplies that come from Assam.

These alarming findings are part of a scientific study, launched at a recent meeting of the Food and Agricultural Organisation’s Inter-governmental group on tea in Kenya, in which Indian officials also participated.

Vast swathes of Assam will be “unsuitable” for tea plantation by 2050, mainly due to growing inconsistencies in the quantum and spread of shower, wider concentration of rainfall towards the monsoon season, rising temperature and carbon-dioxide levels, and the loss of relative humidity required for plant growth, according to RM Bhagat, the lead author of the study, who is also the deputy director (research) and head (soils) at the Tea Research Association in Jorhat.

At 3,04,400 hectares, Assam made up for 54% of the country’s areas under tea as of end-2013, showed the data compiled by the Tea Board. The state accounted for 53% of the country’s production (1,233 million kg) in 2015-16. So, established companies, including Hindustan Unilever, Tata Global Beverages and Wagh Bakri Group, source a major portion of their tea from the state. The study factors in the rainfall pattern of close to 100 years, along with other scientific data. “Unless we fine-tune our existing adaptive measures and prepare comprehensive strategies to counter the impact of such climate changes, there is no doubt that Assam will be in deep trouble,” Bhagat told FE.

Santosh Kumar Sarangi, chairmanof thestate-runTea Board and a joint secretary with the commerce ministry, said the government fully comprehends the seriousness of the matter, and appropriate adaptive measures are being worked out to tackle the damaging impact of climate changes on tea plantations.

The report says increase in rainfall leads to cooler temperature than required and hampers growth and yield. Rainfall concentration towards the monsoon season also affects the output of the premium second-flush variety, which is harvested during May-June. “It is during the second flush that the bush produces the finest quality of leaves and buds rich in natural chemicals that result in strong cups and the rich aroma for which Assam tea is famous. The second flush comes for a period of 15 to 20 days,” said the report.

The report also notes that “increase in precipitation during the monsoon months of June, July and August may lead to water-logging/ floods”, which will also damage the crop. “New adaptation techniques need to be explored, which would be more contemporary with the future climate conditions,” it suggested.