Darjeeling Tea Faces Crisis Amid LPG Supply Disruption
The Darjeeling tea industry faces a potential production dip due to a shortage of industrial LPG. The Darjeeling Tea Association urges the Tea Board to address the issue, crucial for maintaining the livelihoods of 55,000 workers. The industry faces multiple crises, including falling output and competition from Nepali tea.
- Country:
- India
The Darjeeling tea industry is on edge as a potential disruption in industrial LPG supply threatens production, according to a warning from a key tea association. Without an intervention, factories in the region may struggle to keep up, endangering the livelihoods of thousands.
The association's concerns follow a directive from the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, which favors household LPG allocation over industrial needs. With the tea estates already transitioning from coal to LPG for environmental reasons, there's an urgent call for authorities to secure fuel supplies.
This challenge compounds the woes facing the iconic industry, which has seen its output plummet over the decades. Surging imports of cheaper, similar teas from Nepal and aging plantation issues have already steepened the path to recovery.
Google News