Even Indian Tea Association (ITA) assessment says the prospect of a bumper tea crop are bright, contrary to expectation of tea crop being hit because of floods in West Bengal.

The tea industry had fixed a production target of 845 million kg for the year 2000 and an export target of 220 million kgs. The country's tea production between January and August this year increased by 8.80 per cent to 503.74 million kgs compared to 462.99 million kgs in the corresponding period of 1999. Production in August alone increased by 11.94 per cent to 108.89 million kgs from 97.27 million kgs in the same month of previous year.

"We are in the process of arriving at final figures of production during the month of September which will be released within a week," a Tea Board official said.

The Board has received intimation from the Bharatiya Cha Parishad (BCA), comprising mainly tea gardens of Assam Valley and the initial response was quite encouraging, he said.

In its summary of crop and weather telegrams received from various districts for September, ITA said overall condition was quite favourable and except for slight disturbances in despatches from Central Dooars due to flood, the crop in general remained good.

According to information provided by the BCA, the crop was comparatively better and there was no reason for output remaining low, the official added. He said the BCA estimates were only in respect of member gardens though they were in the process of collecting data from the individual gardens which were not members of any association.

"Though there may not be huge increase in production, but we are quite confident that it would remain higher that what it was in September last year," he said.

In Mangaldai in Lower Assam, the outturn last month was about normal and immediate prospects fair with weather seasonable and crop prospects generally favourable, ITA said adding the outturn to date was about level with last year.

However, in Doom Dooma in Upper Assam, outturn was poor and immediate prospects quite bad because of cold and wet weather, it said. Rainfall here was much below normal and the crop was coming forward slower than usual.

In Tigri, however, weather was reported to be good and production was proceeding satisfactorily with crop prospects remaining generally favourable. The weather in other areas of the region like Margherita, Naharkatia and in most districts remained normal. In Kalchini in Eastern Dooars, rainfall for the month has been excessive and immediate prospects according to ITA was favourable. Similar was the case in Dalgaon and Binnaguri in Central Dooars. Western Dooars' Chalsa and Dam Dim also had a fair crop prospect, ITA said.