Nilgiris, the largest tea producing district in South India, is heading for a 10-year record in tea production this year.

Weather was favourable for tea cultivation last month and if similar weather continues, producers are expecting overall output will be significantly higher than most years.

Companies in Nilgiris have informed the Tea Board that their production in September had risen to 1.39 million kg (mkg) from 1.08 mkg in September 2013, marking a significant 29 per cent growth. The five-year average for the month was low at 1.14 mkg.

Cumulative production till September has risen to 11.48 mkg from 10.49 mkg, marking a 9.44 per cent growth. The five-year average production for Jan-Sep was lower at 10.44 mkg.

Tea companies have estimated their output this year will rise to 14.90 mkg from last year’s 14.63 mkg, anticipating favourable weather from now till December. This will be the highest production in the last 10 years.

Small growers are also heading for higher crop. “We have had favourable showers, useful sunshine hours and adequate soil moisture in the last fortnight. Small growers have been supplying increased volume of green leaf to factories for processing. Factories, which had been working only for five days a week so far, are now working all the days in two shifts because of higher crop arrival,” said Ramesh Bhojarajan, President, Nilgiris Small Tea Growers’ Association.

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