India's tea production takes a hit in June
India's tea production took a real hit in June 2025, dropping by 9% compared to last year.
Blame goes mostly to erratic weather and more pests, with North India (especially Assam and West Bengal) seeing the biggest fall.
Output slipped from 121.52 million kg last June to just 133.5 million kg this year.
Northeast monsoon rains down by 24%
Unpredictable monsoon rains—down by 24% in the Northeast—and rising temperatures have made life tough for tea growers, letting pests thrive and hurting both yield and quality.
To fight back, farmers are using more pesticides, but that's making soil health worse and raising risks for workers.
South India didn't escape either; their production slid from June 2024's figure of 25.20 million kg to just 20.99 million kg.
FAO report warns of climate stress impact on tea farms
A recent FAO report warns that if these trends continue, climate stress could threaten up to 40% of India's tea farms by 2050.
Soil degradation is a growing concern, so switching to climate-smart farming isn't just smart—it's necessary if India wants to stay a global tea leader and protect millions of jobs tied to this industry.