The uncertainty surrounding Darjeeling Tea Estates continues to jeopardise production of premium tea varieties from the hills as representatives from the West Bengal government and Gorkha Janmukti Morcha failed to reach an agreement on homeland issue.
Darjeeling Tea, often termed as champagne of teas by tea connoisseurs, was on a recovery path, but is anticipating loss now. Tea growers in Darjeeling have already suffered loss to the extent of 30% in the present season due to adverse weather.
RK Babycon, vice chairman of Darjeeling Tea Association (DTA) said: ?It is a political issue and the government will have to handle that.?
Referring to the meeting at the Writers Building, Basudeb Banerjee, chairman of the Tea Board said, ?I believe something is going happen today and good sense will prevail over the agitators. But tea industry should be kept out of the agitation.?
According to members of the DTA, ongoing political unrest in Darjeeling and Siliguri has already impacted the production in the 87 tea estates.
Darjeeling which produced 9.5 million kg of tea last year exported almost 70% of that to countries such as Pakistan, Russia, Japan and Germany apart from the Middle East.
Exports of Darjeeling-as it would be known after it gets the geographical indicator status-accounts for almost 7% of the Rs 1,800-2,000 crore of total export earning of India from tea.
While the protesters have not disturbed tea gardens during strikes, transport was severely hit in the hills impacting tea trade to a significant extent.
While members of DTA did not specify the amount of loss suffered, Babycon said, ?We are trying to assess the losses due to the agitation.?