India's tea production up 3%; exports rise by 15% in August

Tea production went up by 3% to 127 million kilogram in August, while exports registered an increase of 15% to 19.42 million kilogram during the month, Tea Board said today.

Tea production was 122.73 million kilogram in August 2010, while exports stood at 16.84 million kilogram, according to data released by the Board.

Tea production rose 6% to 618.60 million kilogram in the January-August period of the current year, compared to 584.89 million kilogram in the same period of the previous year.

However, tea exports declined 12% to 109.24 million kilogram, as against 124.14 million kilogram in the first eight months of last year.

India's tea output rose mainly on the back of increased production in Assam, where the volume of the brew rose by seven per cent to 84.08 million kg in August, compared to 78.63 million kg in the year-ago period.

Tea production in Assam accounts for more than 50% of the country's total output.

While tea production in North India was up by almost 5% to 112.75 million kg in August this year, compared to 107.82 million kg in the same month last year, output in South India declined marginally to 14.25 million kg against 14.90 million kg in the same period.

The increased shipments of tea in August this year was mainly on the back of rise in exports from both North India and South India.

Tea exports from North India rose 23% to 11 million kg last month, compared to 8.9 million kg in August 2010. Shipments from South India rose by almost 7% to 8.4 million kg against 7.8 million kg in the same period.

However, in the first five months of the current fiscal, exports of tea declined marginally to 69.61 million kg against 70.15 million kg in the April-August period of the last fiscal.

India is the world's second largest producer, and the biggest consumer, of tea.