INDIA
Record flooding in South India killed nearly 500 people and forced 1 million more into shelters during the late summer monsoon. Damage to the region’s 86 tea plantations was estimated at $27 million. The estates employ 40,000 workers.
Kerala’s coffee, tea, and pepper crop sustained $82.5 million in losses.
The region produces about 18% of India’s tea. Kerala grows about half the southern total, accounting for 95 million kilos in 2017-18.
Inundation was brief sparing many trees, but mudslides proved devastating in several districts. Tea prices spiked at local auctions in the weeks following the floods but have since returned to seasonal averages. Infrastructure is expected to take many months to repair.