UPSC Mains Answer Practice — GS 2: India’s engagement with Central Asia and Supreme Court’s interpretation of definition of industry (Week 169)

Workers in Assam's tea gardens grapple with an escalating climate-driven labor crisis. Recent floods disrupted operations for weeks, exacerbating the uncertainty already plaguing their livelihoods. Over 50 tea gardens were damaged in a devastating storm, leaving workers like Bidesh Kamar and Sumitra Tanti questioning the future of the industry.

Kamar, who has toiled on tea plantations for 15 years, contemplates moving on due to the changing economics of tea and the decreasing certainty of work. With the industry becoming less profitable and working conditions more unpredictable, Assam's tea production faces a growing challenge in retaining its experienced workforce. Assam generates about 52% of India's tea and employs around 700,000 plantation workers and 140,000 small tea growers.

The industry's struggles stem from a combination of factors. Oversupply has driven prices down, while increased wages, fertilizer, and fuel costs put pressure on producers. Sanjiv Gogoi, owner of a 400-acre tea estate, notes that productivity has fallen and the labor supply is unreliable, as more workers leave due to insufficient pay.

Small growers, responsible for nearly half of Assam's tea, have limited bargaining power and often sell their freshly picked leaves to factories at low prices. Heat stress, caused by rising temperatures and erratic rainfall, reduces yields and poses a physical strain on tea workers who spend hours outdoors picking leaves. India's North Eastern Tea Association reports that tea prices have barely kept pace with rising production costs, and labor costs now account for roughly 60% of all production costs.

Union leaders demand higher wages to reflect the rising cost of living, but the gap between production costs and market prices remains wide. Experienced workers, crucial for careful plucking of leaves, are leaving the industry, impacting productivity and quality. Absenteeism in some districts has reached over 50%, as workers seek better-paying jobs in construction, urban areas, or government schemes.

Veteran tea planter Harkirat Singh Sidhu advocates for adaptation through mechanization, regenerative farming, upgraded drainage networks, shade canopy management, and reduced reliance on chemical pesticides. He predicts that labor issues will worsen, making mechanization a necessity. To sustain the industry, Sidhu emphasizes the need for better incomes and living conditions for workers, along with skilled jobs through mechanization and technology.

The younger generation must see a future in the tea gardens to ensure the industry's long-term survival.