Tea exports from the country almost remained stagnant at 231.691 million kilograms during the calendar year 2023, according to the latest Tea Board data.
Exports of the beverage during the preceding calendar year 2022 were 231.08 million kilograms.
A spokesperson of the Indian Tea Association (ITA), a leading planters’ body, said that the loss of the Iran market due to payment problems following US sanctions had affected offtake of the beverage on the whole.
Iran’s imports of Indian tea had plummeted to around 5.16 million kilograms during 2023 as compared to 54 million kilograms in 2019.
To add to the woes, shipments to Russia, the largest buyer in the CIS bloc of nations, were also hit due to its conflict with Ukraine.
Region-wise, exports of North Indian tea in 2023 stood at 141 million kilograms, while that of South India was 90.69 million kilograms in the same calendar year.