Indian tea exports in the first six months of calendar 2023 saw a slight dip in volume compared with the year-earlier period.
Data shared by the United Planters Association of Southern India (UPASI) show overall tea exports between January and June this year slid 0.8% to 96.3 million kg this year.
North India exported 59.16 million kg, which is 0.12 % higher than the same period last year.
However, export of tea from the South registered 2.25 % decline to 37.33 million kg (January-June 2023) from 38.19 million kg (January – June 2022).
Worldwide, tea exports have seen a decline, including shipments from major producers such as Kenya, China, and Sri Lanka, said Sanjith Nair, secretary general of UPASI.
Tea production in India in January-July rose 0.1 % to 622.7 million kg, according to provisional data with the Association.
India exports almost 17 % of the tea produced. “It needs to focus more on production and export of orthodox tea as world demand is more for those teas. Currently, though just 9.56% of Indian production is orthodox tea, it constitutes 47% of exports,” he said.
The government should look at addressing structural issues and extend WTO-compatible incentives. It should also increase support extended under Remission of Duties or Taxes on Export Products Scheme, he said.