Tea exports fall 15% to Rs 1,718.07 cr in first 6 mths of FY15

India's tea exports have declined by 15% to Rs 1,718.07 crore in the first six months of the current financial year.

In the April-September period of last year, the total value of tea exports was Rs 2,014.65 crore, according to Tea Board's latest data.

In terms of quantity, the exports have dipped to 86.77 million kg from 95.70 million kg in the corresponding period.

India is the second-largest tea producer in the world after China, with over 70% of the beverage produced, being consumed in the country itself.

Meanwhile, the production of tea has also declined.

The output in the first seven months of current financial year (2014-15) has marginally declined to 934.47 million kg due to lower production, mainly from Assam and West Bengal, as per the latest data.

The country's tea production during the April-October period of last fiscal stood at 947.73 million kg.

Tea production from north Indian states -- Assam, West Bengal and others -- dropped to 779.49 million kg from 797.48 million kg during the corresponding period.

However, production from south Indian states -- Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka -- marginally increased to 154.98 million kg in April-October period of 2014-15 from 150.25 million kg in the same period of 2013-14.

In 2013-14, the country's tea production was 1,208.78 million kg.