The country’s tea production during 2009 is likely to end significantly lower than the previous year as production falls by almost 22% during April this year when compared to April 2008.
?The cumulative loss during January-April 2009 has touched 25 million kg with April recording the largest drop of 17 million kg,? Tea Board sources said.
According to sources at the United Planters’ Association of South India (Upasi) initial estimates for May also indicate a lower production discounting the possibility of a recoup in production. ?Rains during May were also lower than expected. We were counting on production to recoup in May,? Upasi sources said. Reports say that Indian Tea Association expects production during May to be lower by 30% when compared to May 2008.
Drought like conditions in the Dooars and major portion of Terai has seen production in North India fall significantly. During the month of April, production fell by almost 15.8 million kg in North Indian estates, while production in South India fell by 1.5 million kg.
The production in Nilgiris was constrained in December due to the frost and then the continuous drought in the following months saw production coming down rapidly. Absence of rain and dry heat in the plantation regions of South India saw lesser availability of tea leaves forcing many tea factories to cut down production shifts, sources said.
Major tea producing nations like Sri Lanka and Kenya have also reported a production shortfall.
Tea exports during January-March period have fallen by 24% to 38.89 million kg from 50.94 million kg in the corresponding period of last year. In value term, exports fell marginally to Rs 488 crore from Rs 495 crore during the period under review.
India produced 981 million kg of tea in 2008 when compared to 945 million kg in 2007. Exports touched 196 million kg for the year as compared to 179 million kg of the previous year.