)
India's tea production in the April-February period of last fiscal rose by 7% to 1,152.91 million kg on account of higher output in Assam and West Bengal.
Production in the same period of 2012-13 was 1,073.93 million kg, according to the Tea Board data.
Output in Assam, the largest tea-producing state, was up by 5.19% to 608.89 million kg in the April-February period of 2013-14, from 578.06 million kg in the comparable period.
Similarly, in another major tea producing state, West Bengal, production rose by 11% to 293.73 million kg from 265.36 million kg, during the period under review.
The combined production of tea in the south Indian states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka increased by 13% to 226.93 million kg in the April-December period of 2013-14 fiscal from 199.86 million kg in the previous year period.
Assam, West Bengal and South India are the major regions that account for about 90% of total tea output in the country.
Meanwhile, as per the Indian Tea Association latest estimates, tea production in the country has increased by 6.5% to 1,200 million kg till December in the the 2013-14 financial year, against 1,126.33 million kg in the same period of 2012-13 fiscal.
India is the world's second-largest producer and biggest consumer of tea.
