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The Covid-induced national lockdowns and adverse weather have massively pulled down the production of black tea in India and subsequently, the global output as well.
“According to our compilation of the official data received from various countries, the global black tea production till July has declined to 1,067.51 million kg (mkg) from 1,150.16 mkg in Jan-July 2029,” compiler of ‘Global Tea Digest’ Rajesh Gupta told BusinessLine.
He added, “This shortfall of 82.65 mkg shows a decline of 7.19 per cent,” he said.
India has been the major contributor to this fall in global production. The production in India has nose-dived to 509.27 mkg from 649.19 mkg marking a crash of a whopping 21.55 per cent.” Of the 139.92 mkg shortfall, as much as 136.46 mkg happened in North India. There, the plantations were closed for winter till February and by the time they got ready to commence production in the New Year, lockdown was announced in the nation’s fight against Covid-19.
Consequently, all the States in the North have posted a massive fall in production.
“In the South, production dropped to 118.74 mkg from 122.20 mkg in Jan-July 2019, marking a loss of 3.46 mkg or 2.83 per cent”, said Gupta. Another major producer Sri Lanka’s output fell to 154.92 mkg from 183.15 mkg in Jan-July 2019 marking a loss of 15.41 per cent.
Bangladesh produced 33.99 mkg against 39.05 mkg, marking a loss of 12.96 per cent.
Malawi lost 10.17 per cent (3.53 mkg) to dip to 31.17 mkg from 34.70 mkg. “Kenya was the only country which posted an increase in production. It produced 338.16 mkg against 244.07 mkg in January-July 2019, marking a gain of 94.09 mkg or 38.55 per cent”, Gupta said. Nevertheless, the gain in Kenyan output was inadequate to offset the massive loss in India and other countries.