Tea: every year Darjeeling finds a way to become worse

The tea industry’s cup of woes brimmeth – scanty rainfall and pest attacks have dragged down production in May, prices are lower than last year, and demand from some export markets is muted. Production in North Bengal – comprising the Dooars, Terai, and Darjeeling – is majorly affected; parts of Assam are also hit. Arijit Raha, secretary general, Indian Tea Association (ITA), said that the Tea Board numbers for April show a crop loss of about 9 per cent for North Bengal, compared to last year.