Climate-driven labor shortage hits Assam tea industry

The tea sector in Assam, India's largest tea‑producing state, is confronting a growing shortage of labour as climate change alters traditional working conditions. Plantations that rely on seasonal migrant workers are finding it harder to recruit the workforce needed for timely plucking and processing.
Unpredictable monsoons, hotter summers and shifting weather patterns have disrupted the agricultural calendar, making the region less attractive to workers from neighboring states. Many labourers now face health risks and reduced earnings, prompting them to seek alternative employment.
Tea growers warn that the deficit could curtail harvest volumes and push tea prices higher, jeopardising both domestic supply and export earnings. In response, some estates are exploring mechanised harvesting and offering higher wages or housing incentives to retain staff.
Industry bodies and the state government are monitoring the situation, urging climate‑adaptation strategies and vocational training to sustain the tea workforce in the long term.