Tea Industry

Tea production drops to 170.12 million kg in August: Tea Board data

Tea production during August 2025 has fallen to 170.12 million kilogrammes as against 184.45 million kilogrammes in the similar previous month of 2024, according to Tea Board data. Production volumes in Assam during August 2025 declined marginally to 103.52 million kilogrammes as compared to 104.46 million kilogrammes, according to the data. In West Bengal, production also dipped to 45.90 million kilogrammes in August 2025, from 56.08 million kilogrammes in the similar previous month of 2024. Taking Assam and West Bengal together, tea production in north India during August 2025 declined to 153.99 million kilogrammes as compared to 166.15 million kilogrammes in the previous month of 2024. In South India, total production during August 2025 declined to 16.13 million kilogrammes, as against 18.30 million kilogrammes in August 2024. Category-wise, production of CTC variety in north India declined to 135.59 million kilogrammes in August 2025, as against 150.76 million kilogrammes in t

Tea sector grappling with acute financial stress: ITA Chairman Bangur

With prices down and costs up, ITA's Hemant Bangur warns of viability risks for tea estates and urges a minimum sustainable price to stabilise the sector

Dual structure in tea industry has to be viable: Assam chief secretary

The existing dual structure in the tea industry - the presence of small and large organised growers - has to be viable for long-term sustenance, Assam Chief Secretary Ravi Kota said. Assam, the largest tea-producing state in India, contributes nearly half of the country's annual crop. "The dual structure, the presence of large organised players and small tea growers (STGs), has to be viable and they must coexist without undercutting each other", Kota said at the annual general meeting of the Indian Tea Association (ITA) here on Thursday evening. He said the large organised sector has to fulfil certain welfare obligations under the Plantation Act, which the STGs do not have to follow suit. "Both the segments have to be viable and stay put in the country", he said. STGs contribute to more than 50 per cent of India's tea production annually. Kota also called for the need for a minimum sustainable price for tea, and said a model should be chalked out which is fair. In the case of te

Tea planters seek action against low-quality imports amid declining prices

Imports of low-quality duty-free tea remain a major concern for planters, who allege that such shipments, instead of being used for re-exports, are "finding their way into the domestic market", undermining the prices of the crop and adding to growers' woes. They also called for the imposition of a 100 per cent import duty or a "minimum import price" to prevent such shipments from entering the country. Tea Association of India (TAI) president Sandeep Singhania said imports of "inferior quality" tea with prices ranging from USD 1.5 to USD 1.7 (Rs 130-140) per kg are one of the contributors to the plummeting price trend and muted market sentiment. "Duty-free imports of tea under the Advance Authorisation Scheme are supposed to be used for exports, but these are finding their way to the domestic market. This year, production so far is up by over 70 million kg. The domestic output, along with these imports, has aggravated the situation. Average tea prices are down by at least Rs 42 per

India faces research funding gap in tea sector, says industry body

An association of the tea industry has claimed that there is a research funding gap in India for the development of the crop, with the country spending Rs 30 crore as compared to China, the largest producer of tea, investing over Rs 110 crore annually. Tea Research Association (TRA), engaged in R&D of the sector, is facing serious funding challenges, its chairperson Nayantara Palchoudhuri said, calling for a greater industry participation to stave off the crisis. "Over 50 per cent of the member entities are not contributing their dues, which has resulted in funding shortfalls," she said at the annual general meeting of TRA here on Friday. "China, the largest producer of tea in the world, spends Rs 110 crore annually on the crop, while India invests only Rs 30 crore. There is a big research funding gap in India," she said. The government and large estates should step up their contribution to tea research, she said. To address the resource constraints, she called for setting up a ..

Tea industry seeks minimum sustainable price amid imports, price fall

Indian Tea Association warns of existential threat to producers in Assam and West Bengal as falling prices, rising imports and US tariffs strain the country's tea industry

Indian tea industry concerned over higher US tariff, exports likely to hit

The tea industry in India on Monday expressed concern over the imposition of higher tariffs by US President Donald Trump, stating that the hike in levy is likely to have an impact on exports of the beverage to that country. Leading industry body Indian Tea Association (ITA) said the US is a significant market for Indian tea. In 2024, the US had imported 17 million kilograms of tea from India, while the shipment to America stands at 6.26 million kilograms till May this year, according to the industry body. The additional 25 per cent tariff by the US on Indian products for the country's purchases of Russian oil came into effect on August 27, bringing the total amount of levy imposed on New Delhi to 50 per cent. The tea industry association said that the recent imposition of 50 per cent tariff on Indian goods would be a "limiting factor for exports of the beverage to the US". The association said that persistent decline in tea prices, influx of imports and export market volatility po

Indian tea industry at crossroads as it battles multiple challenges: ITA

Indian Tea Association (ITA), a leading body of planters, on Wednesday said that the industry is grappling with multiple challenges and stands at a critical crossroad in 2025. ITA said in a statement that the industry is facing significant headwinds in production shortfall, decline in price realisation and influx of imports, which is having a bearing on the growth trajectory. Production of the crop witnessed a significant production shortfall in 2024, with country-wide levels dropping by 109 million kilogrammes from 2023. This shortfall in production was due to unfavourable weather conditions and pest attacks in the gardens, ITA said. According to the association, the poor production levels of 2025 is a big concern for the big growers in West Bengal and Assam. The Darjeeling tea industry also remains a major cause for concern, with production levels lagging 10.34 per cent behind 2024 levels. ITA said an average rise of daily temperature of two degrees centigrade and reduced rainfal

India's tea exports rise 2.85% to 257.88 million kg in FY25: Tea Board

Tea exports from India increased by 2.85 per cent in the 2024-25 financial year as compared to the previous fiscal, according to official data. The tea exports from the country increased from 250.73 million kilograms to 257.88 million kilograms. According to the latest Tea Board data, the export volume from North India during the 2024-25 fiscal touched 161.20 million kilograms, registering a rise of 8.15 per cent from 149.05 million kilograms in the 2023-24 financial year. Similarly, exports from South India declined by 4.92 per cent to 96.68 million kilograms in 2024-25 from 101.68 million kilograms in the preceding fiscal, according to the data. The value of tea exports in price per kilogram increased to Rs 290.97, reflecting a rise of 12.65 per cent over Rs 258.30 in the 2023-24 fiscal. During the calendar year January to December 2024, the quantum of tea exports touched 256.17 million kilograms, an increase of 10.57 per cent from the preceding period of January to December ...

Makaibari tea estate owner ups branded play with British buyout deal

For Luxmi, the Brew Tea deal ticks key boxes in its strategy, mainly, focusing on quality and branding

Small tea growers ask Centre to set up fair price discovery mechanism

Small tea growers, who contribute more than 50 per cent to the crop production of the country, have urged the Centre to set up a fair and transparent price discovery mechanism so that they can realise a proper value by selling leaves to factories. In a letter to Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal, the Confederation of Indian Small Tea Growers Associations (CISTA) suggested a price protection scheme modelled on the lines of the minimum support price (MSP). It said the Tea Board should undertake a detailed study to determine an equitable price-sharing ratio between small growers and factories. Small growers are facing the persistent challenge of poor price realisation, which is undermining the sector's sustainability, CISTA president Bijoy Gopal Chakraborty said. Small growers contribute more than 52 per cent to the country's tea production, and a proper price realisation mechanism should be identified so that livelihoods are sustained, he said. Chakraborty said the association has alre

Kolkata's Luxmi Group acquires majority stake in UK's Brew Tea Co

Luxmi Group partners with Brew Tea Co. to strengthen sourcing and build a direct farm-to-cup model focused on whole-leaf, hand-rolled tea

Tea exports from India rise 9.92% to 254.67 mn kg in 2024 on higher output

Tea exports from India increased by 9.92 per cent at 254.67 million kg, from January to December 2024, against 231.69 million kg in the previous calendar year. According to the latest data released by Tea Board, production in the north Indian estates during calendar 2024 stood at 154.81 million kg, as compared to 141 million kg in the preceding period from January to December 2023, registering a rise of 9.79 per cent year-on-year. In south India, production volumes from January to December 2024 stood at 99.86 million kg, as against 90.69 million kg in the previous calendar of 2023, registering a rise of 10.11 per cent year-on-year. Tea Board also released provisional data for the period between January and March 2025, where the all-India production during the three months stood marginally higher at 69.22 million kg compared to 67.53 million kg in the preceding similar period year-on-year. The production in north India during the three months, from January to March 2025, stood 14.38

McLeod Russel in discussion with NARCL for composite debt resolution

McLeod Russel submits initial proposal to NARCL as part of a composite debt resolution effort amid continued financial distress and narrowed losses in FY25

'Indian chai' served at UN event hosted by India for International Tea Day

The aromas and flavors of popular Indian teas permeated the halls of the United Nations headquarters as India hosted a special event to commemorate International Tea Day to highlight the beverage's contribution in empowering communities and fostering inclusive economic growth. The Permanent Mission of India to the UN hosted the high-level event Wednesday on the theme Tea for Livelihoods, Tea for SDGs' to mark the International Tea Day, a celebration of the world's most consumed drink, after water. The event concluded with a special curated tea tasting experience where guests enjoyed a variety of Indian teas, including the famous Darjeeling tea, Masala chai, Assam and Nilgiri teas. India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Parvathaneni Harish, Director of the FAO UN Liaison Office in New York Angelica Jacome, and representatives of Kenya, Sri Lanka and China, the other major tea producing countries, spoke on the occasion and highlighted the challenges faced by the tea ...

Tea industry flags concern over greenfly attacks resulting in crop loss

The Tea Research Association (TRA) on Friday expressed concern over greenfly attacks affecting the crop in Assam and West Bengal, and said it has emerged as a major threat over the past two years. TRA, an institute set up for research and development of the industry and primarily funded by the Tea Board, said the sap-sucking insect has caused significant damage to tea plants, particularly during the dry months, leading to yield reduction of up to 55 per cent in certain regions. Secretary of TRA Joydeep Phukan said these infestations are particularly devastating during the second flush period of May to July, a time when the tea gardens earn over 30 per cent of their annual revenues due to high quality and demand of the crop produced during this phase. "Moreover, there are growing concerns about possible invasion of modified or more aggressive greenfly strains, especially in the tea plantations located near the international borders," Phukan said. Former chairman of Tea Board P K ...

India's tea exports touch highest levels, but rising imports a concern

In 2024, India took the third spot in tea exports, pipping Sri Lanka after exporting 254.67 million kg (mkg) of tea, up from 231.69 mkg in 2023

Small tea growers hopeful of being treated at par with farmers: CISTA

Small tea growers (STGs) across the country expressed hope that they would be treated at par with the farmers for availing benefits under various welfare schemes meant for the agriculture sector, president of Confederation of India Small Tea Growers Association (CISTA), Bijoy Gopal Chakraborty said on Monday. There are nearly 2.5 lakh STGs in the country contributing to more than 51 per cent of total tea production owning less than one acre of land. CISTA said that in the 188th report of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Commerce, the panel is of the view that STGs should be considered at par with the farmers under various welfare schemes for the agriculture sector like Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana and (PMFBY) Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana (PMKSY) among others. The committee recommended that these recommendations should be taken up with the commerce ministry to extend such essential schemes to the STGs, he said. "We are hopeful that the commerce ministry will respon

ITA submits white paper on Darjeeling tea to WB govt, highlights challenges

Senior officials from the association met West Bengal's labour minister Moloy Ghatak on Tuesday and handed over the white paper

Tea industry witnesses overall production fall, rise in exports in 2024

The tea industry is likely to witness a fall in total production by over 100 million kg till the end of this year due to erratic weather conditions coupled with early annual closure of gardens, resulting in an increase in cost per kg for planters, stakeholders said on Monday. However, the silver lining this year was better price realisation and growing exports. As compared to around 1,178 million kg output during the first 10 months of 2023, the country produced around 1,112 million kg of tea in the January-October period of the current calendar year, while exports were expected to touch 240-250 million kg in 2024, up from around 231 million kg in the previous year, they said. The production is down by around 66 million kg during the January-October period in 2024, while there is expected to be a dip in production by another 45-50 million kg as plucking has been stopped after November, Indian Tea Association chairman Hemant Bangur said. Despite geo-political challenges and currency