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Assam Floods: FAITTA Gives ₹81.36 Lakh for Relief Support

FAITTA Has Backed Assam Relief As The State Faces Major Damage

The Federation of All India Tea Traders’ Association (FAITTA) has contributed ₹81.36 lakh to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund in Assam as the state continues to deal with the effects of severe floods.

The contribution was made after a FAITTA delegation led by its Chairman, Paras Desai, met Assam Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma. Desai is also the Executive Director of the Wagh Bakri Tea Group. During the meeting, the delegation discussed issues affecting the tea trade and also raised concerns about communities affected by the floods.

FAITTA has also appealed to regional tea associations to contribute to flood relief efforts.

The financial support comes at a difficult time for Assam. The floods have caused extensive damage to homes, roads, agricultural land and other public infrastructure. On August 17, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the latest floods had caused an estimated ₹480 crore in damage and affected 26,681 houses. The state government has also reported financial assistance of ₹15,000 to each of 96,842 families affected by the recent floods.

The scale of the disaster has changed during the course of the monsoon. In July, more than three lakh people across several districts were affected as heavy rain and flash floods hit Upper Assam. The situation was particularly serious in Sivasagar, Charaideo and Jorhat, where large areas were submerged. Rescue teams from the Army, National Disaster Response Force, State Disaster Response Force and local authorities were involved in relief work.

The flood has also affected Assam’s tea-growing areas, making the crisis especially important for the state’s tea economy. In July, the Tea Association of India reported serious flooding in the Nazira subdivision of Sivasagar district. Almost all tea estates in the affected area were reported to have been submerged at the time, with workers’ homes, hospitals, schools, roads and other estate facilities also affected.

For Assam, the issue is larger than damage to individual tea gardens. Tea is one of the state’s major agricultural industries and an important source of employment. Tea Board India recorded 497.33 million kg of tea production in Assam during January to September 2025, making the state one of India’s leading tea-producing regions.

The industry’s exposure to floods is also significant because tea estates depend on roads, factories, worker housing and other facilities operating together. Damage to any part of this chain can affect the movement and processing of freshly harvested leaves. The July floods showed how quickly extreme weather can disrupt these links.

The wider tea trade is already operating in a challenging business environment. India produced about 1,390 million kg of tea in 2025 and exported 280.4 million kg worth ₹8,488.43 crore, according to figures reported in March 2026. Paras Desai, in his role as FAITTA chairman, had also spoken about supply and export difficulties affecting Indian tea traders earlier this year.

Desai became FAITTA chairman in September 2025. He is a fourth-generation member of the Wagh Bakri Tea family and has been associated with the group since 1993. His appointment placed him at the head of an organisation that represents tea traders and works with government authorities, Tea Board India and related industry bodies on issues affecting the sector.

Speaking about the relief contribution, Paras Desai said, “Assam is an integral part of India’s rich tea heritage, and its tea-growing communities have made an immense contribution to the country’s tea industry. When communities face a crisis of this magnitude, it is important for the tea fraternity to come together and extend support in whatever way possible. Our contribution to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund is a humble effort to stand with the people of Assam during this difficult time. We hope it provides some meaningful assistance to the affected families and communities and conveys our solidarity with them.”

The Assam government is now moving from immediate rescue work towards rehabilitation. Sarma said earlier this month that more than ₹1,000 crore could be required to repair damaged property and rehabilitate people affected by the floods. The government has also been assessing damaged houses and infrastructure to speed up assistance.

For the tea industry, recovery will depend on the condition of estates, worker settlements, roads, bridges, factories and transport networks. The Assam State Disaster Management Authority maintains flood preparedness, damage assessment and relief systems, while district administrations also maintain flood contingency plans.

FAITTA’s ₹81.36 lakh contribution therefore comes as both a relief measure and an indication of the close link between Assam’s tea communities and India’s wider tea trade. The immediate priority remains helping families recover from the floods, while the condition of tea estates and supporting infrastructure will remain important for the industry’s recovery in the months ahead.