A dry winter has led to a challenging harvest, jeopardizing the signature flavor of India's famous Darjeeling tea. Climate change is causing erratic weather in the Himalayan foothills, raising significant concerns for estate owners.

<img alt="A group of women pick leaves off bushes." height="349" src="https://i.cbc.ca/ais/6e94160e-4ec6-42d4-89ca-5f26ff7af2cb,1775161584398/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%281%2C0%2C4238%2C2383%29%3BResize%3D%28620%29" title="Tea pickers at work at the Rohini Tea Estate in Darjeeling, West Bengal, on March 28, 2026. Most of the women who pluck tea leaves have grown up watching their parents do the same job, but the next generation is less interested in continuing the Darjeeling tea tr...