Amid concerns that tea export to Japan would be hit due to massive destruction in the country caused by the earthquake and tsunami, exporters and industry insiders have received good response for Darjeeling tea from Japanese buyers. Japan is the third largest buyer of Darjeeling tea.
But as is the norm, buying from Japanese clients is lean during the first flush season, it is highest during the second flush. ?Japanese buyers prefer the second flush crop and we have already started receiving orders from them,? said Ashok Lohia, in charge of the Darjeeling unit of the Darjeeling Tea Association. Lohia is the chairman of Chamong Tee and owns 14 gardens in Darjeeling.
Earlier, agencies like Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) apprehended that the bilateral trade between India and Japan would be hit in the first quarter of the current fiscal.
?I don’t think there will be a change in their buying due to natural calamities. Moreover, their own production has already suffered this year. So we are expecting good demand for Darjeeling tea from Japan this year,? Lohia said.
Japan produces 90-100 million kg of green tea per year. According to Anshuman Kanoria, chairman of the Indian Merchant Tea Exporters? Forum, ?so far there has not been any effect on the exports to Japan. There may be lower demand in the top end tea, but we do not apprehend any negative impact this year.?
On an average, India exports 3 million kg of tea to Japan while Darjeeling tea comprises 1.2-1.5 million kg. Although tea exports to Japan dipped below 3 million kg during 2006 to 2008, it recovered to slightly more than 3 million kg in 2009.
Total exports of tea from India were around 190.2 million kg during 2010 against 197.9 million kg in 2009 and 203.1 million kg in 2008. Last year India?s export to East European countries was around 62 million kg while that to West Europe was 24.3 million kg. According to Lohia, tea exports to other countries will remain buoyant this year.
