At a time when climate change has begun affecting tea cultivation, the Tea Research Association (TRA) has come up with two new clones, which is expected to boost productivity and improve quality.
“It is a major development in TRA’s research programme, and they are now ready for commercial release,” TRA Secretary-General Jaideep Pukhan told The Hindu . The release comes after nearly decade-long trial runs.
Of the two clones developed, TTRI 1 aims at boosting productivity. It was put on trial in 2006. It has so far given a 35 per cent higher yield, at about 4,000 kg per hectare. This clone comes eight years after the release of the last clone.
The clone TTRI 2 aims at producing quality orthodox tea, a variety which produces high value teas. “This clone was selected in 2004, and assessed in long-term trials at TRA’s Tocklai Experimental Station and its outstations between 2006 and 2013. “TTRI-2 has been found to be a good clone for producing above average yield of very good cup quality.”
Mr. Pukhan said that increasing volumes of tea production had become an imperative due to various reasons. Erratic rainfall has been impacting tea production, especially during prime production months, making it difficult to achieve volumes. “At least two factors of production are in short supply — land and labour,” a source said.
“There are drought and drought-like situations in the summer months, with short but heavy spells of rainfall — this affects productivity and quality,” an official of the the Indian Tea Association said.
