Tea production loss estimated at 110 million kg due to lockdown: TAI
Though tea gardens in Assam and West Bengal haverecently been allowed to resume operations with limitedworkforce and in strict adherence to health safety normsduring the lockdown, planters had to undertake skiffingactivities before restarting plucking of leaves, TAI presidentRaj Bansal said.
"Although gardens commenced operations in Assam with50 per cent of workmen and 25 per cent in west Bengal, thegardens had to skiff in order to maintain proper pluckingtable. This has led to loss in manufactured tea," he said.
A production "loss to the tune of 110 million kg" isprojected by the association, Bansal said.
The deployment of workers below the normal strengthsince the resumption of operation is proving to be a gravechallenge for the industry, leading to a loss in manufacturedtea, he said.
The lockdown, which was enforced at a time when theindustry was gearing up to begin a new season, has led toliquidity crunch, he said.
The TAI has submitted presentations to the Centre andthe respective state governments, seeking a financial packagein terms of interest subvention, enhancement of workingcapital limit and relief in payment of electricity chargesand provident fund, he said.
Bansal, however, said the industry is looking at a"buoyancy in prices" and remains optimistic about exports oftea.
Acknowdeging the efforts of the Centre and the statesfor the betterment of the industry, he said tea planters arelooking at achieving the rhythm of normal working operationsin the gardens. DGBDC BDC