Tea exports up 15% during Jan-June '08

India's tea production in the first six months of 2008 has inched up marginally by 3 per cent, while exports surged by 15 per cent on robust demand.

During January-June, tea output jumped to 345.68 million kg against 334.71 million kg in the same period last year, while exports have gone up to 87.41 million kg compared with 76.97 million kg, according to data released by the Tea Board.

However, tea output in June dipped 3 per cent to 105.44 million kg as against 108.29 million kg in the same month last year. But, exports have still surged to 13.74 million kg against 11.97 million kg last year.

 

“The fall in production is very marginal. There is no major reason behind it. It is basically due to weather-related issues,” Tea Board Chairman Basudeb Banerjee said.

Asked if the violence in Darjeeling in June played any role in the fall, Banerjee said: “Darjeeling produces only eight million kg of tea, which is just one per cent of the total production in the country. So the unrest in the region can hardly impact the overall output.”

In value terms, the exports between January and June went up by 15 per cent to Rs 883.32 crore against Rs 766.75 crore in the corresponding period last year. Similarly, the exports have surged to Rs 155.98 crore in June compared with Rs 127.93 crore in the same month last year.