People In Kalasa, India Should Start Stock-Piling Their Tea!

Catherine Felegi is the founder and author of the blog Tea Love, a blog dedicated to all things tea-related. You can find this post and others on her page, http://cafelegi.wordpress.com/.

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The idea of running out of tea, having tea shortages, etc, is simply horrific.   After all, this beverage that is becoming a staple part of many people's drinking diets is valued both for its historical capacity and its many health benefits.

Sadly, in Kalasa, India, there has been a lack of rainfall that has affected tea.   The tea plant requires a hot, moist environment in order to grow, preferring an annual rainfall of 1800-3000 mm, or 72-100 inches.   However, this year, the typical rainfall started in March but did not continue into April.   On top of this, the temperatures are on the rise, which will result in a drier crop.   Already, the crops are starting to show the reduced amount and quality.

Throw on top of this a pest problem and a labor issue in the area, and there's going to be a problem with the Kalasa tea this year.

Now, the small town that relies heavily on agriculture is concerned over their crops.   Darjeeling and Assam have already succumbed to the dry season and now, the issue spreads.   Tea production is already predicting a huge hit this year due to the weather.   Assam alone produces 13% of the world's tea.   Slowly, it seems that tea production will be struggling.

Therefore, the best to do is be ready for rising tea prices.   With the weather conditions, sub-par tea might be pushed more in the marketplace, so be choosey about what you are looking at.   Maybe even try your hand at growing your own tea, depending upon your region.

What do you plan to do to prepare?   Or are you hoping this is worse than it sounds?