Tea output rises by 5% in May, exports up slightly

India's tea production rose by 5% to 76.17 million kg during May, 2011, from 72.62 million kg in the same month last year, owing to higher output in Assam and West Bengal, according to Tea Board data.

Production in North India (including Assam and West Bengal) increased to 51.73 million kg during May, 2011, from 47.40 million kg in May, 2010, but output fell in the southern part of the country to 24.43 million kg from 25.22 million kg.
During the January-May period of the 2011 calendar year, tea production rose to 243.61 million kg from 234.93 million kg in the corresponding period of 2010.
Production in North India increased to 146.74 million kg in the first five months of this calendar year from 135.50 million kg in January-May, 2010, but South India witnessed a decline in output to 96.87 million kg from 99.42 million kg.
Meanwhile, tea exports went up marginally to 11.3 million kg in May, 2011, from 11.2 million kg in the year-ago period.
However, exports during the January-May period of 2011 fell to 62.28 million kg from 77.95 million kg in the corresponding period last year.