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INDIA’S TEA PRODUCTION FALLS OVER 2014

BY P S SUNDAR

                  Adverse weather in July pulled down tea production in South India by 5.40 million kg (mkg) to dip to 18.54 mkg and North India by 5.14 mkg to fall to 135.83 mkg. 

This drop of 10.54 mkg to total 154.37 mkg created a topsy-turvy in India’s overall production profile.   Till June, India was the only country posting a higher production than 2014 but by July end, even India’s production fell below 2014 level.

“India’s production till July dropped marginally by 0.41 mkg – to 553.21 mkg from 553.62 mkg in Jan-July 2014.   Of this, South Indian production fell to 142.16 mkg from 144.97 mkg.  However, helped by previous months, North India continued to post gain with the cumulative production rising to 411.05 mkg from 408.65 mkg”, Rajesh Gupta, compiler of annual Global Tea Digest, told me.

Although the drop is only marginal, there is danger of this development reversing the proven track of India setting up new records year after year.  Last year, India’s production rose to all-time high of 1207.3 mkg.

While overall North Indian production has risen, output in Assam, country’s largest tea producing state, has fallen by 5.85 mkg to 251.21 mkg.   In the South, Tamil Nadu’s production has declined by 3.19 mkg to reach 99.54 mkg. 

“Global black tea production so far has fallen to 1035.97 mkg from 1110.02 mkg.  This loss of 74.05 mkg marks a decline of 6.67 per cent”, Rajesh Gupta noted.

(response can also be sent to: pssundar.coonoor@gmail.com)