Climate Change Pushes India's Assam Tea Industry into Crisis

India's Assam state, which produces 52% of the country's tea, is confronting an accelerating crisis driven by climate change. More than 50 tea plantations have been damaged by severe storms, while 700,000 plantation workers and 140,000 smallholder farmers face increasingly uncertain livelihoods. Workers like Bidesh Kamar, a 15-year veteran of the plantations, and Sumitra Tanti describe unpredictable conditions and wages that fail to keep pace with rising costs. Kamar is considering leaving the industry entirely. The problems are compounded by a global oversupply of tea that has depressed prices, even as wages, fertilizer costs, and fuel expenses continue to climb. Rising temperatures are simultaneously reducing both the quality and yield of Assam's distinctive teas. Scientists warn that the region faces a structural labor shortage as younger workers seek more stable employment elsewhere, threatening the long-term future of an industry that has defined northeastern India for nearly two centuries.