During the fiscal 2020-21, India consumed 89.24 per cent of its tea production, reveals our analysis of the latest data available with the Tea Board.

According to the Tea Board, India’s consumption rose to 1,145 million kg (mkg) in 2020-21 from 1,116 mkg in the previous fiscal. This shows an increase of 2.60 per cent.

The Board has clarified that the actual consumption data ‘may vary due to lockdown conditions and availability of tea’.

Producers contend that there was increased demand last fiscal due to the general belief that tea helped to build immunity especially in the backdrop of Covid-19 pandemic.

Considering that the country produced 1,283 mkg during 2020-21, the consumption is as much as 89.24 per cent of the production. This left 138 mkg for exports but the actual exports shown by the Tea Board were 202 mkg.

Exporters said that some teas imported were re-exported and some carry-forward from previous fiscal were also exported. That’s why the total exports were more than the balance left after home consumption from the country’s production, they clarified.

Tea Board has said that consumption estimates were based on the ‘study by M/s Deloitte’.