India Likely To Keep Tea Export Target At 200mn Kg For 2011.

New Delhi,  (PTI) Despite failing to reach the 200 million kg tea export target for the last two years, Tea Board of India today said it is hoping to achieve it this year on hopes of a better output.

"Our target for the current year is in the range of 200 million kg, it is the thumb mark for us," Tea Board Deputy Chairman Roshni Sen told PTI.

The last time the country had exported 200 million kg tea was in 2008.

The Tea Board had aimed to achieve the same in 2010, but only managed to dock 193.29 million kg due to lower yield in Assam.

Tea production in Assam, which contributes around 70 per cent of the North India''s production and produces the premium varieties of the beverage, was last year severely hampered by bad weather and pest attacks.

Besides, the decline in exports is also indicative of India losing ground to other major producers like Sri Lanka for orthodox variety and Kenya for CTC (Crush-Tear-Curl) tea.

Even, new entrants in the world export markets, like Vietnam and Indonesia are giving Indian tea a run for the money, according to an industry insider.

Tea exports from the country stood at 198 million kg in 2009.

This year the Board would be focussing on the US, Russia, Kazakhastan, Iran and Egypt to boost its exports. India would target these markets with high-end and value-added varieties, said Sen.

Indian Tea Association Joint Secretary Sujit Patra said India was expecting to ship about 45 million kg tea this year to Russia and around 15 million kg to Iran.

Also, the tea board is expecting good demand for Indian tea from Pakistan, much like the past year. However, since the market there is price-sensitive, it would be treated with CTC variety, it said.

In 2010, India exported 20 million kg tea to Pakistan from just around 5-6 million kg a year-ago.

Source : in.news.yahoo.com