Climate Change and its Effect on Cultivation of Tea in Darjiling, West Bengal
Year: 2014
Type: article
Abstract: This paper analyses the impact of climate change on the cultivation of tea in the Darjiling (Darjeeling) hills of West Bengal, focusing on how shifting temperature and rainfall regimes, altered humidity, and increased climatic extremes are affecting tea yield, quality and the sustainability of plantation livelihoods. Darjiling tea, renowned as the “champagne of teas,” is highly sensitive to micro‑climatic conditions; even modest departures from the historically cool, moist, mist‑laden environment have begun to disrupt the phenology of the tea plant and the distinctive flavour profiles of different flushes. The study has three objectives: (i) to characterise recent climatic trends in the Darjiling hills; (ii) to quantify their effects on tea production and quality; and (iii) to assess how planters and institutions are adapting, and with what limitations. Methodologically, the paper combines analysis of long‑term climate and production data with field‑based insights from estates and sectoral institutions. Time‑series records from meteorological stations in Kurseong and adjacent locations are examined to identify trends in maximum and minimum temperatures, total and seasonal rainfall, relative humidity and incidence of extreme events such as hailstorms and cloudbursts over the last two to three decades. These are correlated with estate‑level data on green leaf yield, harvested area and quality‑graded output, including research findings from the Darjeeling Tea Research and Development Centre showing substantial declines in productivity since the 1990s that are statistically linked to changing humidity, rainfall and temperature. Complementary qualitative information is drawn from interviews and published accounts of planters, workers and Tea Board officials, and from industry reports documenting climate‑related production shocks, cost increases and adaptation initiatives such as drainage improvement, shade management and organic practices. The results indicate clear signals of climate change in the Darjiling hills. Studies show a measurable rise in maximum temperatures (for example, around 0.5 °C in Kurseong over two decades), a decline in total annual rainfall, and a reduction in relative humidity by over 15%, alongside more erratic and concentrated rainfall events. Longer dry spells, hotter pre‑monsoon months, unseasonal heavy rains, hailstorms and stronger winds are now common, disrupting the traditional pattern of four flushes and compressing or damaging crucial high‑value harvests such as the first and second flush. Quantitative analyses from research plots suggest that green‑leaf productivity has fallen by around 30–40% in recent decades, with statistical models attributing a large share of yield variation to changes in relative humidity and rainfall, and showing a negative correlation between rising maximum temperature and tea yield. At estate level, this translates into lower annual output (often below 6 million kg in recent years compared with over 8–10 million kg earlier), increased unit costs and heightened vulnerability of workers’ incomes. Climate change is also affecting tea quality and plantation ecology. Excessive heat and moisture stress alter leaf biochemistry, affecting aroma and flavour, while intense downpours and landslides accelerate topsoil erosion, degrade soil structure and limit water‑holding capacity, further undermining plant health. Rising temperatures and humidity variability enhance pest and disease pressures, increasing the need for careful pest management even in organic or low‑input systems. In response, estates and agencies such as the Tea Board have begun to implement adaptive measures, including improved drainage to prevent water‑logging, supplementary irrigation where feasible, replanting with more tolerant clones, canopy and shade‑tree management, soil‑ and moisture‑conservation practices, and promotion of organic and climate‑smart farm management. However, these adaptations are uneven and resource‑intensive, and small or financially stressed gardens struggle to implement them effectively. The paper argues that climate change represents an existential challenge for Darjiling tea, but also an opportunity to re‑orient the sector towards climate‑resilient, ecosystem‑based management. It calls for a coordinated strategy integrating local climate‑monitoring and early‑warning systems, location‑specific agronomic advisories, large‑scale soil and water conservation, and targeted financial and technical support for vulnerable estates and workers to adopt adaptive practices. Strengthening research on climate–tea interactions, diversifying livelihoods in tea landscapes, and embedding climate risk into certification and branding could help safeguard both the environmental foundations and the economic viability of this iconic hill commodity.
Author: Adhya, Dr. Sanghamitra
Institution: University of Kalyani
Language: English
Subfield: Agronomy and Crop Science
Domain: Life Sciences
SDG: Climate action
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7162072691