Though the Indian Tea Association (ITA) said it was deeply concerned about newspaper reports on the possibilities of the Government of West Bengal further increasing the daily wages of tea workers, the state government has finally increased it from Rs 232 to Rs 250 a day with effect from 1 June 2023 by issuing an advisory today. In a Press note, the ITA has said: “This will further aggravate the financial stress of tea producers and make tea estate operations unviable.” ITA officials have also said that the new tea season in 2023 has not begun on a bright note for the tea industry in North Bengal due to unfavorable weather conditions adversely impacting crop in several tea growing pockets in the Dooars and Darjeeling.