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Himachal tea growers suffer losses due to coronavirus lockdown
Kangra tea is usually in demand in the European markets and in Kolkata in April
Bearing the brunt of the nationwide lockdown imposed to curb coronavirus, the tea industry is suffering due to reduced workforce and lack of transportation.
“When the lockdown was announced, the plucking of tea leaves and processing had stopped. On March 30, we were given permission to restart the activities with minimum use of labour and ensuring cleanliness. But we are still facing issues of reduced workforce and transportation,” Aman Pal Singh, the manager of the Dharamsala Tea Company, said.
“Our produce in April is usually in demand in the European markets and in Kolkata. However, due to European markets being almost shut we will have to send all the produce to Kolkata, but transporting them is difficult as trucks are not plying. Our stock is held up here. If this continues for a few more days then we will have to face 30% to 40% loss,” he said.
The tea estate manager hoped that the government will allow the inter-state movement of trucks after April 20, which will ensure that the produce fetches good price and losses can be reduced for all growers in the region.
REDUCED WORKFORCE
Sachin Butail, a tea grower from Palampur, said that the lockdown not only resulted in the reduced workforce in the tea gardens and factories but hit the small tea growers financially.
“In a normal situation, I would employ more than 20 people in my factory. The number has now come down five. The workload has increased,” he said.
“The transportation of the produce has halted, which means our sales are zero. It was from the earnings from sales that we would meet our expenses. The banks are asking us to pay instalments,” he said, adding that transporters were not ready to ferry tea to Kolkata market due to the lockdown as they fear harassment by authorities.
“Work was stopped for many days. The number of people working in tea gardens has also gone down drastically. We are afraid of the (coronavirus) disease and are using masks besides washing our hands regularly basis while working,” Vishu Oraon, a worker, said.
The lockdown, which was originally scheduled to continue till April 14, has been extended to May 3 in view of the rising number of Covid-19 cases.
If the situation continues the tea growers will face heavy losses, Butail said, adding that the tea plucked in March would fetch a profitable price in the auction but the delay would result in prices lower than even the manufacturing cost.
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the Small Tea Growers’ Association of Himachal Pradesh, Gokul Butail, said since the authorities prohibited engaging labour from outside the state, tea plucking was delayed in the region.
“If there is further delay due to transportation, the Kolkata market will be flush with the produce because of the arrival of Assam tea. Kangra tea will fetch nominal prices, resulting in growers incurring heavy losses,” he said.
NO SUPPLY TO AMRITSAR
Gokul Butail said that the Kangra tea growers stopped sending produce to the Amritsar market several years ago.
“The tea from Amritsar was mainly supplied to Iran, but the market was closed due to conflicts in the Gulf,” he said.
Sachin Butail added that the Amritsar market was no more viable as the commission agents would frame rules on their whims, causing harassment and losses to the growers.
