Tea producing companies in the Nilgiris have reported to Tea Board that their production rose by as much as 43 per cent last month over February 2015.

The companies have reported that their production increased to 1.17 million kg (mkg) from 0.82 mkg in February 2015. The five-year mean production for the month was also less at 0.85 mkg.

The higher output in February compensated the lower production in January. Consequently, tea companies have reported a cumulative output of 1.83 mkg in the two months – the same as in January and February 2015.

This was higher than the five-year mean production of 1.73 mkg for these two months.

“We had sharp showers around January 20 which helped higher harvest of green leaf in February. These rains reduced the adversity of winter and dismissed the possibility of frost. They encouraged outward and healthy growth in leaves. To some extent, they increased the soil moisture as well. These contributed to higher production in February”, ENR Vejaya Shekara, Production Executive, Avataa Beverages Billimalai Estate, near Coonoor, told BusinessLine .

“However, there was absolutely no rain all through February and till now in March. The harvest of green leaf has fallen by 30 per cent compared to this time last year. We apprehend a matching fall in the production of black and green tea in March”, he disclosed.

“We are already feeling the pinch in the production volume of speciality teas like our multiple-brewing high-priced variants,” he added. Avataa is a leading player in the speciality tea segment.

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