COONOOR AUCTIONS -- 10:

COONOOR TEA TURNOVER UP 7%

P S SUNDAR

Producers and traders who operated through the auctions of Coonoor Tea Trade Association have earned 7.38 per cent more till last month compared to the same period of 2016.

This has happened despite sacrificing prices by ` 12.17 a kg because 1.04 crore kg more volume was sold, reveals our analysis of the Market Reports.

Till November, 47 auctions had been conducted.  To avoid piling of unsold teas following fluctuating demand, producers sacrificed prices.  Accordingly, the average price dropped to ` 84.72 a kg from ` 96.89 in Jan-Nov 2016.

This sacrifice helped more tea to be absorbed.  The volume sold rose to 5.60 crore kg from 4.56 crore kg.

Consequently, the cumulative turnover in the 11 months increased to ` 474.43 crore from ` 441.82 crore.

This increase of ` 32.61 crore marked a growth of 7.38 per cent.  

The increased turnover lay spread among producers, buyers, exporters, brokers, warehouse-keepers and workers.

With only one month left for the year to end, traders predict that the turnover this year would be around ` 510 crore against ` 478 crore achieved in 2016.

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

PRODUCTION -- 29

GLOBAL BLACK TEA OUTPUT IS HEADING FOR A FALL THIS YEAR

P S SUNDAR

Global black tea production this year is heading for a shortfall compared to 2016 as the output so far this year has fallen by 22.35 million kg (mkg) over the same period of last year.  This is despite India, the world’s largest producer of black tea, reporting a higher output.

“As per the official data received from different producing countries, the global black tea production so far this year has fallen to 1823.69 mkg from 1846.04 mkg in the same period of last year”, Rajesh Gupta, compiler of annual Global Tea Digest told me. 

This fall of 22.35 mkg marked a decline of 1.21 per cent.

The major fall has occurred in African countries due to prolonged adverse weather conditions.  Kenya led the decline with as much as 41.03 mkg to dip to 346.97 mkg.   Uganda reported a fall of 8.24 mkg to touch 23.75 mkg while Tanzania lost 2.10 mkg to total 18.27 mkg.  Malawi managed to post a marginal gain of 0.90 mkg to reach 36.27 mkg.

In Asia, Bangladesh lost 8.81 mkg to produce 51.86 mkg. 

On the contrary, Sri Lanka posted the highest increase of 21.48 mkg to soar to 256.70 mkg.

India continued to top the global black tea production table and its production so far this calendar totalled 1089.87 mkg, up by 15.45 mkg.   Here, North India suffered a loss of 2.32 mkg to produce 894.23 mkg while South India gained 17.77 mkg to produce 195.64 mkg.

As this increase was not sufficient to offset the major loss in Africa, the overall output fell marginally. 

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

FOR THE RECORD -- 39:

DARMONA CREATES HISTORY ..

TEA BOARD'S PRICE FIXATION WORRIES FACTORIES..

FACTORY OWNERS SEEK QUALITY TEA SUPPLIES..

HIGHER PRODUCTION IN NILGIRIS TEA SECTOR..

INDIA'S PRODUCTION HIT BECAUSE OF LOWER OUTPUT IN NORTH ..

FALL IN GLOBAL BLACK TEA OUTPUT..

(articles in The Assam Review and Tea News, Nov 2017)

BY P S SUNDAR

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