Abstract:
Drought is a serious ecological hazard and tea is no exception to the frequent damage caused
by recent drought on cultivated crops. Tea (Camellia Sinensis) is one of the most economic
crops and being perennial, tea plant often experiences natural seasonal drought, which affects
its growth and productivity. Drought is the single main constraint in any given year on tea
yields. Drought affects both the quantity and quality of tea, leading to a considerable loss of
export earnings. Production costs can also increase during drought due to the need for
additional inputs. The growth stage of tea varies depending on whether it is young tea or
mature tea. Measures to reduce the drought impact should be taken according to the growth
stage of the Tea. Therefore, the study aims to identify the impacts of seasonal drought on tea
cultivation in Sri Lanka and to propose measures to reduce the impact of seasonal drought
on Sri Lankan tea cultivation. This study has been undertaken using qualitative research
methods. This research was conducted using primary and secondary data to achieve the
objectives of the study, which is Key information interviews (KII), Focused Group
Discussions (FGD), field surveys and secondary data from Tea Research Institute (TRI). Tea
growth during the monsoon season was up to 50% higher than during the spring drought. It
was noted from the discussion that temperature, rainfall, air saturation deficits, soil water
content, radiation, daylight hours and evaporation are affecting tea production. Further, the
temperature, rainfall and the occurrence of extreme weather events all have negative
consequences on the tea industry
