Tea exports fall 0.81 pc in first half of 2023 at 96.49 mln kg

KOLKATA: Tea exports during January to June declined 0.81 per cent to 96.49 million kg as against 97.28 million kg in the corresponding period a year ago, according to Tea Board data.

Exports from North India, comprising mainly Assam and North Bengal, marginally increased to 59.16 million kg compared with 59.09 million kg in the year-ago period, it said.

However, shipments from South India declined to 37.33 million kg in the reporting period as against 38.19 million kg in January-June 2022.

In the last calendar year, overall tea exports from the country stood at 231.08 million kg, registering a rise of 17.57 per cent over 2021, which was at 196.54 million kg.

Secretary-General of Indian Tea Association (ITA) A Raha said it is unlikely that exports during 2023 will surpass the figures of 2022.

The main cause for this is a slump in demand in the export markets and drop in shipments to Iran, due to payment issues with that country.

Iran has traditionally been a major importer of Indian tea after the CIS bloc.