India Tea Prices Rise 2nd Week On Good Demand.

Tea prices in India, the world's second biggest producer, rose for the second consecutive week on an improvement in demand for quality produce, dealers said on Friday.

"The demand for quality tea is high as big buyers are taking positions," said a senior official at J. Thomas & Co, a leading tea-broking house.

Favourable weather during winter in the growing areas of eastern India has improved output prospects for better quality tea varieties, dealers said.
 
Meanwhile, India's tea output in April remained largely steady at 68.77 million kg, while exports fell by 11 percent to 11.36 million kg from 12.76 million kg a year ago, data with the state-run Tea Board showed.

India is the world's second biggest producer of tea after China.

India exports CTC (crush, tear, curl) tea variety mainly to Egypt, Pakistan and the UK, and the premium orthodox variety to Iraq, Iran and Russia.

Price of CTC (crush-tear-curl) tea rose 1.18 percent at 134.28 rupees per kg, compared with 132.71 rupees at the previous weekly auction.

Price of dust tea went up by 3.6 percent to 127.65 rupees per kg from 123.24 rupees at the previous auction.

Source : af.reuters.com