The Hindu Business Line : Marginal increase in tea output in Jan-June

Kolkata, Aug. 9 Between January and June this year, the country’s tea production increased by a meagre 0.4 per cent at 334.7 million kg (mkg), up from 333.3 mkg in the same period of last year, according to statistics complied by the Indian Tea Association (ITA).

Production in North India increased by 4.8 mkg to 225.3 mkg or 2.2 per cent while the South Indian production dropped by 3.4 mkg or 3.1 per cent at 109.4 mkg .

OTHER MAJOR PRODUCERS

During the same period, the report said the Kenyan production increased by 64.7 mkg to 198.8 mkg or 48.2 per cent and Bangladesh production by 4.1 mkg at 15.7 mkg or 35.2 per cent.

Sri Lanka’s crop suffered — the drop in production being around 20.9 mkg at 143.6 mkg (164.5 mkg) or 12.7 per cent.

The production figures for other tea producing countries, as prepared by ITA, are: Between January and May, tea production in Indonesia increased by 14.4 per cent at 37.2 mkg, in Tanzania by 16.1 per cent at 17.7 mkg, and Malawi by 6.5 per cent at 30.9 mkg.

Between January and April, Ugandan production increased by 10 per cent at 10.6 mkg but during the same period the production in Zimbabwe dropped — the extent of decline being 4.1 per cent at 8.6 mkg.

Exports down

Between January and June this year, India’s tea exports declined by 11.8 mkg at 75.7 mkg (87.5 mkg in the same period of last year).

The export of North Indian tea at 36 mkg (33 mkg) posted a growth of three mkg while the export of the South Indian tea at 39.7 mkg (54.5 mkg) showed a decline of 14.8 mkg.

Despite higher unit price realisation of Rs 11.8 per kg at Rs 95.73 per kg (Rs 83.93 per kg), the value of total exports during the period under review was lower at Rs 724.98 crore (Rs 734.10 crore).

Average export price

The average export price of North Indian tea at Rs 120.87 per kg was up by Rs 6.5 per kg and of South Indian tea at Rs 72.92 per kg by Rs 7.4 per kg.

The total value of North Indian export was up by Rs 58.4 crore at Rs 435.5 crore (Rs 377.10 crore) but the total value of South Indian tea export was lower by Rs 67.5 crore at Rs 289.48 crore (Rs 357 crore) due to the drop in volume, the ITA report adds.