Tea drinkers may soon face a tea shortage due to extreme drought-like conditions in India, which have caused tea production to drop.
What's happening?
The Times of India reported that Assam's tea industry, an industry spanning over two centuries, saw a 12% reduction in tea production in June. The reason behind this decrease in production is a combination of abnormally high temperatures and a 50% decrease in rainfall this season.
Assam isn't the only region affected, either. Dibrugarh, another significant tea-producing region, reported tea leaves turning black due to weather conditions. Similar drought-like conditions in Doomdooma, Panitola, and Tengakhat have slowed tea leaf growth and reduced crop yields there.
Additionally, these hot and dry conditions have created the perfect breeding ground for pests that invade and destroy crops. In particular, red spider mites are responsible for significant damage to tea gardens.
The chairman of Bharatiya Cha Parishad, Sarvesh Saharia, explained to the Times of India, "If current conditions persist, we're looking at one of the most challenging years in recent memory for Assam's tea industry."
Why are fewer crops concerning?
India's tea gardens aren't the only crops struggling to grow. Around the globe, crops of all kinds are producing reduced yields due to extreme weather events, like abnormally high temperatures and less rainfall.
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As our planet continues to overheat due to the amount of heat-trapping gases in the atmosphere, temperatures worldwide will continue to rise, and more extreme weather events will occur, making the challenge of growing food even more difficult.
Fewer tea leaves mean less tea on grocery shelves (and fewer crops of all kinds will see less food on those shelves). This will lead to global food scarcity and increased prices for whatever food is still available.
This isn't only bad news for consumers, though; it's also bad news for farmers, as it means they will see a significant decrease in income. This could lead to a loss of farms, resulting in higher unemployment and even less food being grown.
Reduced crop yields caused by extreme weather can also affect local ecosystems, the global food supply chain, and more, creating a host of issues in the world of agriculture.
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Definitely 👍 What's being done about India's tea gardens?
Unfortunately, not much can be done other than hoping for more rainfall and for temperatures to cool.
However, there is hope as scientists are creating more technology designed to aid farms in everything from keeping plants cool to determining how much water is in the soil and more. With more technological advances, it may soon be easier to grow crops in almost any climate, which will aid in warding off a global food crisis.
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