Syllabus: GS3/Agriculture and Economy
Context
- A tea company has begun using drone-based transport to move freshly harvested green leaves from tea fields to weighment centres and processing factories in Kerala’s Idukki.
About
- Drones can transport tea leaves over 5–10 km from plantations to weighment centres and factories.
- Aims to reduce fuel costs, minimise manual handling, address labour shortages, and speed up processing, thereby improving tea quality.
- The initiative marks a significant step towards precision agriculture, digital transformation, and sustainable plantation management in India’s tea sector.
Indian Tea Industry
- Tea is grown in 15 States in India. Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Kerala are the principal producing states, while Tripura, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Bihar and Karnataka are established but smaller contributors.
- Newer belt of non-traditional States: Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Sikkim.
- India is the largest producer and consumer of black tea in the world.
- It is the second-largest tea producer overall and, in 2024, stood as the third-largest tea exporter globally.
- Prominent tea regions: Assam (Assam Valley, Cachar) and West Bengal (Dooars, Terai, Darjeeling).
- Global reputation: Indian teas, especially Assam, Darjeeling, and Nilgiri, are renowned for their quality.
- India’s Export destinations: United Arab Emirates, Iraq, Russia, China, the United States, Iran, the United Kingdom, Germany, Saudi Arabia and Turkey.
Government Schemes
- Tea Development & Promotion Scheme (TDPS): Implemented via the Tea Board of India under the 15th Finance Commission (2021–2026).
- Plantation Development for Small Tea Growers (PDSTG): Provides subsidies on field mechanization (pruning machines up to ₹30,000, mechanical harvesters up to ₹40,000, and power sprayers) alongside support for organic certification and soil testing.
Challenges in Tea Industry
- Climate change: Rising temperatures, erratic rainfall, and extreme weather are affecting tea yield and quality.
- Labour shortages: Declining availability of plantation workers has increased dependence on mechanisation and migrant labour.
- Low profitability: Rising input costs, low tea prices, and ageing tea bushes have squeezed growers’ margins.
- Pest and sustainability concerns: Increased pest pressure, residue management issues, and the need for sustainable cultivation practices.
- Trade and market challenges: Competition from low-cost producers, logistics bottlenecks, and non-tariff barriers affecting exports.
Geographical Condition for Tea production
- The tea plant grows well in tropical and subtropical climates. Tea bushes require a warm and moist frost-free climate all through the year.
- Soil: It requires deep and fertile well-drained soil, rich in humus and organic matter.
- Temperature: The average annual temperature for tea150 plants to grow well is in the range of 15-23°C.
- Precipitation: The rainfall needed is between -200 cm. Frequent showers evenly distributed over the year ensure continuous growth of tender leaves.
Tea Board of India
- It was set up as a statutory body in 1954 under the Tea Act, 1953.
- It was established for the purposes of regulating the Indian tea industry and protecting the interests of tea producers in India.
- All teas produced in the tea growing areas of India are administered by the Tea Board.
- The Board consists of 32 Members, including Chairman and Deputy Chairman appointed by the Government of India representing different sections of the Tea industry.
- The Board’s Head Office is situated in Kolkata.
Source: TH
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