Tea output down 15% to 67.21 mn kg in April

Tea production was at 78.76 mn kg in same period last year

India's tea output declined by 15% to 67.21 million kg in April this year, mainly due to fall in production in southern states.

The country's tea production was at 78.76 million kg in the same period last year, according to Tea Board data.

Assam, West Bengal and other North-eastern states account for 80% of the total tea production.

In April this year, the combined production tea from these states stood at 50.23 million kg as against 53.93 million kg in the previous year.

The tea output from southern states declined by about 32% to 16.98 million kg from 24.83 million kg during the period under review.

In last fiscal also, there was a decline in tea production in southern India due to adverse climatic conditions and labour issues in Kerala.

However, during financial year 2015-16, India recorded the highest ever tea production of 1,233.14 million kg during.

The country exported 232.92 million kg of tea valued at Rs 4,493.10 crore, breaching the 230 million kgs mark after 35 years.