'Pest'ering problem rocks West Bengal's tea gardens

Siliguri, June 10 (ANI): The Terai tea gardens here have been suffering because of some unexpected visitors-the Lupa caterpillars-which are destroying plantations.

Tea plantations, the backbone of North Bengal's industry, also add to the region's natural beauty.

"In some tea gardens, the damage is upto 30 percent. The most difficult task is to make-up for this damage because crops worth 15 to 20 million have already been spoilt in the month of May. This attack by Lupar has been very devastating," Porag Biswas, a tea expert said.

The all India production of tea annually averages 980 million kilograms, and the production of tea in North Bengal is around 230 million kilograms.

Favourable climatic conditions too support the growth of Lupar caterpillars.

Continuous bright sunshine after a heavy shower has resulted in this particular insect coming out of hibernation and laying eggs, which then destroy the tea plant at its root. (ANI)