Low temperature and frost lead to loss for tea sector in Munnar

While the tourism assemblage successful Munnar is receiving a large boost from the chilly upwind and frost, the beverage sector, different important manufacture successful the elevation station, is suffering immense harvest nonaccomplishment arsenic the temperatures dropped to sub-zero levels.

Officials from 2 main beverage producers successful the area, Kanan Devan Hills Plantations (KDHP) and Harrisons Malayalam Limited (HML), said that hectares of beverage plantations person been damaged by the continuous frost. According to the officials, alarge quantity of beverage leaves person wilted. Once the frost melts, tender leafage buds adust up nether the sun. Plucking past cannot beryllium resumed for different 3 months, starring to a important loss.

KDHP sources said that an mean of 100 hectares of their beverage plantations person already wilted. “The temperatureis astatine sub-zero level successful galore places and whitethorn proceed to beryllium so. This could pb tofurther harvest loss,” said a source.

Anil George, vice-president of beverage operations astatine HML, reported important losses connected Lockhart property adjacent Devikulam. “On the Lockhart property alone, astir 49.04 hectares—about 14.3% of the property area—were affected,” said Mr. George. “Located astatine an altitude of 6,000 feet, the property has experienced sub-zero somesthesia for respective days. The utmost acold is causing terrible accent to beverage bushes and is starring to defoliation of leaves,” helium said.

“While sub-zero temperatures typically get successful precocious December oregon aboriginal January, this twelvemonth the frost began successful the 3rd week of December. The Siberian High and Katabatic travel phenomena look to beryllium the reasons for debased somesthesia successful precocious elevation beverage increasing areas successful South India,” helium said.

“The Siberian High usually brings acold winds to the Himalaya and it prevents moving further south. This year, owed to clime change, it has moved towards South India,” Mr. George explained. “As it reaches the Nilgiris and Munnar, the aerial becomes denser astatine nighttime and flows toward the valleys via Katabatic flow, resulting successful extended frost harm to adjacent beverage fields,” said Mr. George.

Meanwhile, the frost has fixed a boost to the tourism sector. Stakeholders said astir each hotels and resorts person seen a surge successful bookings pursuing reports of “snowfall” successful the elevation station.

Temperatures continued to stay astatine sub-zero levels crossed the region. On Tuesday morning, Letchmi recorded -1°C. According to the United Planters Association of South India (UPASI) Tea Research Foundation, Chenduvarai and Silent Valley reached 0°C, Nallathanni recorded 1°C, and Devikulam and Sevenmallay recorded 2°C.