India’s tea production is expected to cross the one billion kg mark by a wide margin this year too, and is likely to be around 1,185 to 1,190 million kg, higher than last year’s 1,126.33 million kg.
Tea production in India, the world’s second-biggest producer of the brew, had breached the one billion kg mark in 2012 after missing the record figure by a whisker in 2011.
Indian Tea Association (ITA) chairman Arun N Singh said Indian tea crop this year was expected to be higher by about 60 million kg compared to last year. ?So, total production of the brew in 2013 is likely to be around 1,185 to 1,190 million kg in 2013,? Singh told FE.
According to the recent report of ITA, India?s production of the crop in the January-September period this year increased by 53.61 million kg to 861.57 million kg from 807.96 million kg during the same period last year.
During the first nine months of calendar year 2013, tea production in north India was 690.88 million kg, while in south it was 170.69 million kg.
In the January-September period this year, India?s largest tea producing state Assam?s crop was at 447.13 million kg, higher than last year?s 432.95 million kg.
North Eastern Tea Association (NETA) chairman Bidyananda Barkakoty said that for the full year also production in 2013 should be higher compared to last year in Assam, on the back of better climate and less pest attacks. The state?s tea production stood at 580 million kg in 2012.
?We got good showers in October. If day temperatures remain high till the middle of December, then we would have higher end-season crops this year compared with last year,? Barkakoty told FE.
Assam alone produces about 53% of India?s total production of tea, the favourite brew of the country.