Global black tea production up 22%

Global black tea production during January-April this year has increased by 21.56 per cent with output rising in Kenya and Sri Lanka, the key competitors to Indian tea in the world market.

However, data available from the Indian Tea Board are up to March only.

“Global black tea production in the first four months of this year has increased to 412.94 million kg (mkg) from 339.69 mkg last year”, Rajesh Gupta, Publisher of annual Global Tea Digest, told Business Line. This increase of 73.25 mkg.

In April, Sri Lanka produced 33.30 mkg (up 3.30 mkg), Kenya 38.23 mkg (up 20.11 mkg), Malawi 5.51 mkg (up 0.31 mkg), Bangladesh 2.40 mkg (down 0.10 mkg) and Indonesia 5.10 mkg (down 0.80 mkg), reveals our analysis of the latest data received from different countries.

The cumulative production so far shows that Kenyan output has increased by 64.89 mkg to 155.49 mkg. “This is due to timely showers. In fact, traders have estimated a higher crop and are expecting a revised higher figure to be rolled by the Kenya Tea Board. We anticipate higher output levels till June”, an exporter said.

In the four months, Sri Lanka produced 10.19 mkg more to reach 113.48 mkg.

Weather has been favourable so far with evening showers. Indian output till March was 79.24 mkg (up 4.93 mkg).