Weather hit tea sector in India is yet to have any positive hope form the policy makers on its long pending demand of coverage under Agriculture Crop Insurance schemes, though another major plantation crop coffee is cover.

"A major portion of Indian tea belt in Eastern India is experiencing unprecedented heat wave and shortage of rainfall severely hampering the yield and causing long standing damage to the plantations.

"If not addressed properly now, this will become disastrous for this labour intensive industry leaving massive socio economic impact," Bijoy Gopal Chakroborty, President Confederation of Indian Small Tea Growers' Association ( CISTA). Small tea growers in India contribute over 30 per cent of nation green leaf yield.

As per latest meteorological database, the national level shortfall in rain for the last week was for 3per cent only. But, the nation is suffering from 71per cent less rainfall against its long term average for the period beginning first January.

Keeping pace with that, the usual heavy rainfall zone in India comprising Assam and Sub Himalayan West Bengal that hosts around 50per cent of nation's plantation area, are also suffering from shortage of rainfall.

During pre Monsoon season from 1st March, the shortfall here is for 30per cent, "That is alarming," said S Seal, a planter from Terai region in West Bengal. The obvious outcome is drastic fall in output in the tune of around 40per cent to 60 per cent.

Interestingly, "Despite being highly dependent on the climatic whims, tea is not covered under schemes of Agriculture Insurance Co. of India Ltd (AICIL). Our repeated request could not yield any positive result," said Chakroborty.

AICIL started working on this with Indian Tea Board (ITB) years back. "We have taken joint steps and asked meteorology department for long duration weather data for every tea producing region," said, ITB Director (Development) G Boriah earlier.

But, things remained in papers only. When asked, none in ITB or AICIL could show any definite ray of hope for the initiation of the schemes.

Source - http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/