Global black tea output up 3.65%

Global black tea production so far this calendar has increased by 3.65 per cent over the same period of 2015. “According to our compilation, global black tea production has risen to 1,350.81 million kg (mkg) from 1,303.27 mkg in 2015. This increase of 47.54 mkg marked a growth of 3.65 per cent”, Rajesh Gupta, compiler of annual ‘Global Tea Digest’, told BusinessLine. This was despite fall in output in two major producing countries – India and Sri Lanka. While India lost 4.63 mkg to produce 717.07 mkg, Sri Lanka lost 26.91 mkg to reach 196.85 mkg. All these losses were offset from the higher production in Kenya, thanks to favourable weather. Kenya posted an increase of as much as 73.48 mkg to soar to 308.10 mkg.