The Hindu Business Line : Global tea production, exports down

According to the information from various producing countries as also the Tea Board, the global production so far in 2006 has been nearly 53 million kg lower than the corresponding period of 2005.

The total output is estimated at 496 million kg now against 549 million kg last year.

Of the 53 million kg loss, the biggest reduction occurred in Kenya where the production is trailing behind last year by 34 million kg.

The next highest loss has occurred in India with the production till May totalling 224 million kg - 15.41 million kg lower than 2005.

Indonesia posted a fall of 4.64 million kg, while Tanzania reported a decline of 1.84 million kg and Uganda 1.06 million kg.

The loss would have been still higher but for the small increases posted by Malawi 3.95 million kg, and Sri Lanka 3.61 million kg.

With the production falling, exports also tracked a downward trend. On the whole, global export trade so far this year reported lower volume of 331 million kg - some 35 million kg less than 2005.

The biggest fall has occurred in Kenya with about 24 million kg lower than last year. Of the balance 10 million kg loss, some 7 million kg have been made good by Sri Lanka which exported 4.64 million kg more this year and Zimbabwe, 2.23 million kg more.

Still, all other countries posted lower export trade raising the overall decline by 35 million kg. Of them, India's loss was the highest. Its exports till May dropped 9.14 million kg to dip to 59.44 million kg. China reported a fall of 6.05 million kg.