4-March -2025-Special-Article

INDIA’S TEA INDUSTRY AND JHUMOIR DANCE

Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended Jhumoir Binandini 2025, a cultural festival in Guwahati, Assam, marking the 200th anniversary of Assam’s tea industry. The event celebrated the Tea Tribe community through the traditional Jhumoir dance.

What is Jhumoir Dance?

Origin: Jhumoir, a traditional folk dance, is performed by the Adivasi tea tribes of Assam. It was brought to Assam by tea garden workers from the Chotanagpur region (Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal, and Chhattisgarh).

Ethnic Background: It belongs to the Sadan ethnolinguistic group and is performed during harvest festivals, weddings, and other social gatherings.

Performance Style:

• Danced in a circular formation by men and women.
• Accompanied by rhythmic foot movements and lively beats.
• Musical instruments used include Madal, Dhol, Taal, and Flute.

Cultural Importance:

• Represents the unity and resilience of Assam’s tea garden community.
• The songs highlight the hardships, migration struggles, and social conditions of tea workers.

Assam’s Tea Tribe Community

Background: Assam’s Tea Garden Communities are descendants of workers brought to Assam in the 19th century to work in British tea plantations.

Migration: Many were forcibly relocated under harsh working conditions, facing low wages and restricted rights.

Demographics:

• The community forms around 17% of Assam’s population.
• It influences approximately 40 out of 126 Assembly seats in Assam.
• Their contribution is vital to Assam’s tea industry and cultural landscape.

Key Facts About Tea Production in India

Origin and Characteristics

Discovery in India:

• The British commercialized tea cultivation after discovering the Singpho tribes of Assam consuming tea from wild bushes in the early 19th century.

Tea Plant Varieties:

• Camellia sinensis (Short-leaved China variety)
• Camellia assamica (Broad-leaved Assam variety)

Growing Conditions:

• Requires a tropical and subtropical climate.
• Ideal temperature: 16-32°C with an annual rainfall of 150 cm.
• Prefers well-drained, acidic soil.
• Frost and extreme heat (above 35°C or below 10°C) can damage tea plants.

Uses:

• Fresh tea leaves contain about 4% caffeine.
• Tea seeds produce tea oil (used in cooking but different from tea tree oil used in medicines).

Tea Production in India

India is the world’s second-largest tea producer after China.

Contributes 21% of global tea production and is the largest producer of black tea.

Tea Estates:

• India has around 39,700 tea estates.
• Employs over 1 million workers directly and supports another million indirectly.

Small Tea Growers (STGs):

• Contribute 52% of India’s total tea production.
• Around 2.3 lakh small growers are involved in tea cultivation.

Major Tea-Producing Regions in India

• North India (83% of total production): Assam (Assam Valley, Cachar), West Bengal (Dooars, Terai, Darjeeling).
• South India (17% of total production): Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka.

Tea Exports and Market Trends

• India exports tea to over 120 countries.
• Top importing nations: Iraq, UAE, Russia, US, UK, Germany.
• In 2023-24, India’s tea exports were valued at USD 781.79 million.
• Despite being a major producer, 80% of India’s tea is consumed domestically.

Tea Board of India (TBI) Established in 1954 under the Tea Act, 1953. Functions under the Ministry of Commerce. Headquartered in Kolkata, with overseas offices in London, Dubai, and Moscow. Consists of 31 members, including the Chairman, reconstituted every three years.

Challenges in India’s Tea Industry

Declining Tea Production

• India’s tea production declined by 66 million kg between Jan-Oct 2024.
• Loss of first and second flush crops (which fetch the highest prices) has led to revenue losses.

Impact of Climate Change

• Extreme weather conditions (heatwaves, erratic rainfall) reduce tea yield and quality.
• Sudden temperature shifts stress tea plants, affecting their growth.

Pesticide Restrictions

• Bans on pesticides like Aldrin and Captafol have increased production costs.
• Demand for pesticide-free tea in markets like Russia and Ukraine presents challenges for growers.

Labor Issues

• The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report highlights inadequate wages for Assam’s tea workers.
• State-owned tea corporations struggle with irregular salary payments.
• Poor working conditions, lack of healthcare, and inadequate retirement benefits affect tea workers.

Market Pressures and Competition

• Rising production costs and low profits are affecting small tea growers (STGs).
• Strong competition from Kenya, Sri Lanka, and China impacts India’s tea exports.

Way Forward

Climate Resilience Measures

• Encourage climate-smart agricultural practices (drought-resistant tea varieties, improved irrigation).
• Promote agroforestry to improve soil health and counter climate effects.

Sustainable and Organic Tea Production

• Expand organic and pesticide-free tea farming through government schemes like Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY).

Labor Welfare Reforms

• Ensure fair wages and timely payments to tea plantation workers.
• Improve access to welfare services, housing, and healthcare as per the Labour Code on Occupational Safety, Health, and Working Conditions, 2020.

Market Diversification & Export Promotion

• Strengthen India’s presence in new export markets such as Africa and Latin America.
• Encourage value-added tea products like flavored and specialty teas for global consumers.

Support for Small Tea Growers (STGs)

• Provide low-interest credit and modern technology for STGs.
• Encourage cooperative farming models to improve bargaining power and market access.

Mains Question:

1. Discuss the significance of Assam’s tea industry and the cultural heritage of the Tea Tribe, highlighting the challenges faced by tea workers and the industry’s future prospects. (150 WORDS)