India's tea exports jump 37 per cent in December; production dips
08 Feb 2010
India's tea exports jumped 37 per cent in December 2009 buoyed by better demand in its traditional markets even as production marginally dropped to 58.1 million kg year-on-year.
The country had produced 58.6 million kg of tea in December 2008, according to data provided by the Tea Board.
The country exported 22.2 million kg of tea in December 2009 against 16.2 million kg in the same month of the previous year - an increase of 37 per cent.
For the calendar year 2009, India's tea exports, however, declined over 5.7 per cent to 191.4 million kg from 203.1 million kg in 2008.
The value of tea exports from India, however, stood higher at Rs2,616.63 crore in 2009 against Rs2,392.91 crore in 2008. The average price realisation increased to Rs136.64 a kg from Rs117.81 a kg in 2008.
For the whole of 2009, the country produced 978.9 million kg against 980.8 million kg in 2008, mostly due to lower production in South India.