A CORRESPONDENT
SILCHAR: The current flood situation has badly affected the tea industry of the Barak Valley region, stated Sushil Singh, the Chairman of the Tea Association of India. Cachar district recorded 416 mm rainfall in 24 hours on June 1 which is the highest-ever, breaking the single-day rainfall record, the previous being 290.3 mm in 1893.
The continuous heavy rain in south Assam from May 29 submerged around 12,000 hectares of tea plantation area in Barak Valley and the waters were still standing in many places at a height of 3 to 4 feet. Singh said that the water logging for more than 3/4 days in the tea plantation had raised the question of survivability of the tea bushes. Maintaining that the situation further deteriorated due to breach of embankments in various places, Singh said that in a number of tea gardens, rain water had submerged the roads, bridges, labour lines, and had adversely affected the cultivation works and harvest during this precious second flash period.
Singh further informed that due to a drought-like situation, the Barak Valley tea plantations had suffered crop loss during May 2025 to the tune of 22% on an average, and now, due to heavy and incessant rain as well as inundation of plantation areas, landslides, washing away of garden roads and bridges, the tea garden management were apprehending further 30% to 40% crop loss during the current month.
The adverse situation also compounded due to poor electric supply along with dismal condition of transport ways connecting Barak Valley with Guwahati. Moreover, long term effects of inundations of tea bushes have put a question mark on the sustainability of the industry.
Also Read: Assam: Clean energy push powers sustainable future for state’s tea industry
Also Watch: