Tea plantations in the low-lying areas of Manjoor in the Kundah tea hub of the Nilgiris have been hit by severe frost.
Tea leaves across hundreds of acres have been charred. It will take about three months for the plantations to recover provided there is no further frost.
“However, further frost cannot be ruled out. Intense dewfall is indicative of frost in the coming nights,” L Ashwin, Managing Director of Palaniappa-Sultana Meteorological Observatory, told Business Line .
However, the weather augurs well for tourism in the tea fields. The days are warm with bright sunshine. “This weather is excellent for Christmas-New Year celebrations for visitors from Europe and the US,” said Ismail Khan, Resident Director of Ooty’s Gem Park Resorts. According to him, the attractions include a Toda theme dinner, carols, and various Indian cuisines including Bengali, Hyderabadi, South Indian, Gujarati, Sindhi, chat and street spreads.