Despite a marginal rise in tea production, the Terai tea industry continues to face severe financial and operational stress due to erratic weather, pest infestation, falling auction prices and delayed subsidies, said Debajyoti Mallik, Chairman of the Terai Branch of the Indian Tea Association (TBITA).
A consultation meeting on the growing issue of human-leopard conflict in the Terai tea plantations of north Bengal was held yesterday with the participation of tea garden managers affiliated with the Terai branch of the Indian Tea Association (TBITA).
The TBITA secretary Rana Dey echoed these concerns, emphasising the need for strategic interventions to address the mounting challenges.
Addressing the 62nd Annual General Meeting of the Tarai Branch of ITA (TBITA) in Siliguri on Friday Mr Asthana also said: “ The exercise must be on mutual cooperation. I trust this spirit will be followed at the district level.”
Planters says the industry incurred loss of Rs 200 crore in the past few days due to heavy rainfall.
