Chennai, July 19 (BPNS)
The Nilgiris district of Tamil Nadu is the hub of South Indian tea industry and it is the largest producer of tea in South India. The heavy rains in the district have led to an unprecedented increase in the production of tea.
While the production of tea during the first half of the year from January 2021 to June 2021 was 7.88 million kilograms, the production in the first half of the current year has touched 8.36 million kilograms. This is 6.9 percent more than the production in 2021 during the same period and tea experts and estate owners attribute the increase to the high rains that the district has been obtaining during this year.
The United Planters Association of South India (UPASI), the largest body of tea production companies in the South of India has said that the high production of tea is mainly due to the increase in rains. K. P. Udayabhanu, the vice president of the organization while speaking to media persons said that there is a 14.29 increase in production when compared to the average production of the last five years.
The planters, according to the office bearer of UPASI is expecting production of 15.60 mkg when compared to 14.94 mkg in 2021.
Meanwhile, heavy rains are lashing The Nilgiris district for the past one week leading to water logging and inundation in some areas. The district administration has already commenced the task of preparing the estimates of the losses caused by the recent rains and taking preventive measures for the future.
The Kodappamund canal in Ooty where water had overflowed in some places has been desilted during the pre-monsoon maintenance of canals. The district administration has proposed to identify the spots that require strengthening in the canal to prevent overflow during heavy rains.
It may be noted that on Monday, a rainfall of 461.22 mm was recorded with Naduvattam getting 80 mm, O’Valley 52 mm, and Pandallur 50 mm.
