India's Tea Output up 3%, Exports Rise by 9% in September.

India's output of tea grew by almost 3 per cent to 111.06 million kg in September, while exports registered an increase of about 9 per cent to 21.04 million kg during the month, the Tea Board said on Thursday.

Tea production stood at 108.10 million kg in September, 2010, while exports stood at 19.34 million kg, according to data released by the board.

However, output of the brew declined by 13 per cent to 111.06 million kg in September this year from 127 million kg in August, 2011.

Tea production rose by 5 per cent to 729.66 million kg in the January-September period of the current year from 692.99 million kg in the corresponding period of the previous year.

Overseas shipments of the brew declined by 9 per cent to 130.28 million kg in January-September, 2011, from 143.48 million kg in the first nine months last year.

India's tea output rose mainly on account of increased production in Assam, which accounts for more than 50 per cent of the country's total output.

Tea production in Assam rose by 7 per cent to 66.96 million kg in September from 62.79 million kg in the year-ago period.

In North India, tea production stood at 93.06 million kg in September this year, as against 89.70 million kg in the same month last year. In contrast, output in South India declined to 17.99 million kg in September, 2011, from 18.39 million kg in the corresponding period a year ago.

The increased shipment of tea in September this year was mainly from North and South India.

Tea exports from North India rose to 11.53 million kg in September, 2011, from 11.20 million kg in September, 2010.

In a similar fashion, shipments from South India stood at 9.50 million kg during the month under review, up from 8.13 million kg in the corresponding year-ago period.

In the first six months of the current fiscal, exports of tea rose marginally to 90.65 million kg from 89.49 million kg in the April-September period of the previous fiscal.

India is the world's second-largest producer and the biggest consumer of tea.

Source : profit.ndtv.com