: To counter persistent scarcity of rainfall, the Indian tea industry is gearing up to embrace comprehensive water management with the help of Israeli expertise.
“Crop shortfall due to rainfall scarcity has become a major issue in the tea industry,” Indian Tea Association (ITA) Secretary General of M. Dasgupta told PTI.
Irrigation is becoming an important factor because of which an Israeli firm had been asked to make a presentation before industry captains, he said.
Netafim, an Israeli firm, has shown interest and would be making a presentation soon on comprehensive water management ranging from micro-drip irrigation to rain water harvesting, the ITA official said.
There was no rainfall in tea gardens from October to March. He said this was causing stress in the existing bushes and also giving a slow start to the new season owing to lack of moisture. Dasgupta said that the re-plantation exercise which almost all tea gardens were carrying out has come under threat.
To start with, the association has picked 10 gardens located in North Bengal, Cachar and Brahmaputra Valley for a comprehensive water management programme on trial basis to be funded by Solidaridad, an NGO.
Depending on the results, the programme would be extended to other gardens as well.
He said that the industry would then approach the Tea Board for funding as the 12th plan had approved schemes for water management.
Till mid-March 2015, production of tea in Assam Valley, Cachar, Dooars and Terai was already down by 5.85 million kilos over the same period last year. – PTI
There was no rainfall in tea gardens from October to March
This is giving a slow start to the new season due to lack of moisture
Netafim, an Israeli firm, will do a presentation on water management
