Dharamshala Tea Production Threatened by Rain Shortfall - HP Heat Wave

Shimla, Apr 7 (PTI) Lack of rain has affected the growth of tea leaves in Dharamshala and adjoining areas in Himachal Pradesh and if the dry spell continues, tea production could be impacted, officials said on Monday.

Local tea industry official Amanpal Singh said that the first crop of leaves is being plucked currently even as there has been no rain in Dharamshala for the past 15-20 days. Reduced rainfall affects the tea leaf growth and thus overall production.

The month of April is crucial for tea growers as tea made from leaves plucked in the month has more flavour and fetches good revenue due to its high demand in foreign countries, he told PTI Videos.

According to the tea industry management, 70 per cent of the demand for tea produced during the entire season in the Dharamshala tea industry is for the first pluck of April.

Three types of tea varieties are produced in Dharamshala tea industry – green tea, black tea and oolong tea. Of these, black tea and oolong tea are in high demand abroad.

The tea production in Dharamshala was about 1.45 lakh kg in 2022, 1.65 lakh kg in 2023 and 1.38 lakh kg in 2024.

The rain deficit during the ongoing pre-monsoon season from March 1 to April 6 is 41 percent as the state received 75.5 mm of rain against normal rainfall of 128.6 mm.

Meanwhile, the Shimla Met office on Monday issued a yellow warning of heat wave at isolated places on Tuesday and thunderstorm and lightning from Wednesday to Friday as a fresh western disturbance is likely to affect the Western Himalayan region from Tuesday.

Heat wave conditions are likely in Kangra, Kullu, Mandi and Solan districts on Tuesday, while thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty winds (30-40 km per hour) are likely at isolated places in Chamba, Kangra, Kullu and Mandi districts from Wednesday to Friday, the Met added.

The Met also predicted light rain and snow at isolated places in Chamba, Kullu, Kangra, Kinnaur and Lahaul and Spiti districts from April 9 to 12.

Weather remained dry in the state in the past 24 hours and severe heat waves were witnessed in Bhuntar and high temperatures in Dharamshala and Sundernagar on Monday.

It has advised the general public to avoid heat exposure, wear lightweight clothes, cover heads with cloth or umbrella, apply light and frequent irrigation to standing crops to avoid heat stress, provide mulching and conserve soil moisture and minimize evaporation.