| The temperature drifted to a historic low in many parts of the Nilgiris. There have been many warnings of frosty weather at midnights during winter and night temperature has dropped to zero degree celsius many a times in the valleys. |
| The frost has caused extensive damage to the tea crop and small growers from the low lying areas like Emerald, Avalanche and Kunda tea belts are the most affected. Out of one lakh acres of field owned by small growers, nearly 50 per cent of the crop has been damaged due to the frostbite. |
| "The growth of tea leaves has been restricted, and the leaves were charred in many estates. The juice content in the leaves has come down," M Bhojarajan, chairman, Nilgiris District Tea Producers Marketing Company, told Business Standard. |
| Consequently, the arrival of green leaves to the factories has slowed down. At present, many factories are working only on alternate days. Even with a gap of 15 days, the volume of tea offered for auctions at the Coonoor Tea Trade Association (CTTA) during the last sale (December 22 , 23) was only 7.80 lakh kg, the lowest recorded this year. |
| Even with a drop in the volume, the quality of the high grown winter tea, a premium product, which usually fetches good price, is expected to improve with upcountry buyers like Iran evincing keen interest to lift such teas. |
| However, producers are expecting a buoyant market when the auctions resume in the first week of 2006, Bhojarajan added. |
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