Tea production rises 6.5 per cent in 2013

Country's tea production increased by 6.5 per cent to 1,200 million kg in 2013, against 1,126.33 million kg a year ago, a report by the Indian Tea Association (ITA) has said. Total production of tea in the northern part of the country (Assam and West Bengal) stood at 957.44 million kg in 2013 as against 886.95 million kg in the previous year, it said.

In southern region, the production stood at 242.60 million kg in 2013, as compared with 239.38 million kg a year earlier, the report added. At the Kolkata auction, the average price increased to Rs 157.65 per kg in 2013 as compared to Rs 149.55 per kg in 2012. Prices at the other auction centres like Guwahati and Cochin had also increased during 2013, it said.

Exports during the nine-month period from January to September 2013 had also seen an increase of 5 per cent at 147 million kg as against 140.2 million kg in 2012, the report said.

CIS countries had imported maximum of 39.88 million kg of Indian tea during January to September 2013, followed by Iran at 16.47 milllion kg, Pakistan 12.35 million kg and the US 10.29 million kg, among other countries, it added.