Guwahati: Tea production in Assam was down by 27 per cent in September compared to that of last year, owing to long rainy spells, the Tea Board of India said on Saturday.
According to the report of September, the production in Assam Valley was down by 26.87 per cent while in Cachar it was 31.12 per cent less.
A senior official at Tocklai Tea Research Institute said various factors such as less hours of sunshine, prolonged spells of rain, Puja holidays and decreased plucking rounds caused this drop.
"Mild to moderate pest infestations and helopeltis were noticed in all the areas. In Upper Assam, looper, scale, red slug, fusarium and red rust were also noticed in various places," he said.
The Tocklai crop bulletin said in Upper Assam, crop harvested by most of the estates in September this year was comparatively less than that of last year.
The production should improve in October, depending on the temperature, it said.
In Cachar, dull weather, which has spilled over from July, has persisted up to the first week of September. Crop harvest has faced a declining trend in September because of this weather conditions.
Scanty flush and patchy growth have been observed in many plantations. Most of the estates have recorded about 50 to 60 per cent less crop in September this year compared to last year.
The Tocklai Tea Research Institute also organised workshops on cold weather practices for planters this month.
The workshops are conducted with field visits on the relevant field management practices hosted by a tea estate, along with an interactive session at a nearby hall. The latest field practices and technologies, developed by Tocklai, are demonstrated in the field and detailed interaction with the Tea Research Association scientists take place.
"They are told about integrated nutrient management, soil management and cold weather practices to be taken up to prepare for the upcoming season," the official said.