Tea production down 6% in first half of 2012

Tea production has dropped by 6% to 338.08 million kg in the first half of 2012 calender year due to fall in output in
North and South India.

India had produced 358.32 million kg of the brew in the January-June period last year.

Tea production in North India declined by 6% to 222.76 million kg in January-June, 2012 from 236.20 million kg in the year-ago period,
according to the data by Tea Board.

The output in South India fell by 6% to 115.32 million kg from 122.12 million kg in the review period.

However after a continuous decline in the first five months of 2012, tea production rose by 7% to 122.26 million kg in June this year from
114.71 million kg in June, 2011.

Tea production in January, 2012 stood at 18.69 million kg as compared to 20.93 million kg in January, 2011, while, the output in February this year
fell to 16 million kg from 16.73 million kg in same month last year.

Similarly, output of the brew declined to 47.60 million kg in March, 2012 from 56.73 million kg in March, 2011, whereas in April, 2012 it fell to
60.99 million kg from 73.04 million kg in April, 2011.

Tea production in May, 2012 declined to 72.54 million kg as against 76.18 million kg in May, 2011.

According to a report by ICRA Management Consultancy (IMaCS), the domestic tea production is forecast to decline to around 950 million kg
this year.

According to the Tea Board, India had produced 988.33 million kg of tea in 2011.