Covid-19: Norms relaxed, plantations see hope for tea and rubber processing

Plan to be ready for demand whenever lockdown ends, though manpower crunch is still an issue

The government's decision to relax norms on the processing and marketing of plantation crops should help salvage produce that would otherwise have been wasted, though marketing efforts will face a demand hurdle till lockdown is withdrawn completely.

Planters say that the relaxations would enable them to be prepared to meet a likely surge in demand once the lockdown is lifted. But as of now, demand is very low for tea, rubber products, and coffee as shops, hotels, retail stores, offices and other commercial establishments are shut.

Tea plantations have suffered huge crop damage and are waiting for the auctions to begin so