Climate change impacting tea plantations in Assam: Scientist

GUWAHATI: Dr. Ruanjali Deb Baruah, Scientist C, GIS and Climate Change, Tea Research Association, said that “so far as climate changes are concerned, if we talk about the South Bank of Assam, the rainfall has decreased by 200 mm over the period of more than 100 years and the minimum temperature has increased by 1.3 degrees Celsius, which is quite a substantial decrease in terms of rainfall and increase in terms of temperature.”.

The scientist said, “Tea is a crop that requires a specific limit of requirements, so the entire ecosystem with the change in climate, which is an increase in temperature and decrease in rainfall, is going to have an adverse impact on tea plantations. It is high time those at the helm of affairs adapted and mitigated strategies.”

The scientist said this at the two-day bicentenary of the Assam Tea International Conference held in Guwahati to commemorate the completion of 200 years of Assam tea.

The main aim of organizing the conference known as BATIC2024 was to provide a platform for the exchange of knowledge on tea and the sharing of information amongst stakeholders in the Indian and global tea industries. On Tuesday, several sessions with different themes were held on the last day of the conference, where delegates representing 25 countries participated.

Addressing the gathering, Industries and Commerce Minister Bimal Borah acknowledged the monumental contributions made by several contemporary figures in the initial days of the establishment of the tea industry in Assam. He also emphasized the paramount importance of the tea industry and its substantial contributions to Assam’s socio-economic development and global reputation.

He underscored the critical need for embracing sustainable agricultural and manufacturing practices, integrating cutting-edge technology, and devising a strategic roadmap for sustainable expansion and scalability.

He also highlighted the significance of exploring untapped markets and demographics, as well as enhancing value across the entire manufacturing, packaging, and distribution chains to effectively compete in an increasingly dynamic and competitive global marketplace.

On the other hand, Dinesh Bihani, secretary of the Guwahati Tea Auction Buyer’s Association (GTABA), said, “In today’s meeting, a fruitful discussion was held on climate change and carbon, agriculture, and tea. Climate changes have affected tea plantations.”

Atul Asthana, Chairman of the Indian Tea Association, said that it’s a good initiative to organize such an international conference to celebrate 200 years of Assam tea.

“All stakeholders in the tea industry are present today. Not only India, but delegates from other countries have also participated,” Atul Asthana said. (ANI)

Also Read: Bi-centenary conference on Assam Tea kicks off in Guwahati

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