India’s tea production declined 14 per cent during July 2024 compared to the same period last year due to uneven weather impacting the output in the North.

Tea output in July was lower at 146.84 million kgs, according to the Tea Board’s provisional estimates released Friday. In July 2023, tea production in the country stood at 171.53 million kgs.

The major decline in output was in the largest producing state of Assam at 78.30 million kgs, lower by 15.53 per cent over the corresponding previous year’s 92.70 million kgs. In the Assam Valley, the output was down at 73.41 million kgs (87.41 million kgs in July 2023), while Cachar saw the production decline to 4.89 million kgs (5.29 million kgs).

Tea output in West Bengal was down 21 per cent to 41.59 million kgs (52.95 m kgs). The Dooars region saw an output decline of around 23 per cent to 23.01 million kgs (29.80 million kgs). Production in the Terai region of the state was down 20 per cent during July to 17.68 million kgs (22.14 million kgs), while the output reduced marginally in Darjeeling to 0.90 million kgs (1.01 million kgs).

Arijit Raha, Secretary General of the Indian Tea Association (ITA), attributed the decline in output during July mainly to climatic reasons. “The uneven rainfall pattern during July impacted the production badly,” Raha told businessline.

While the overall decline was mainly due to lower output in the key states of Assam and West Bengal, production in the South was up by 7 per cent in July to 22.68 million kgs from 21.19 million kgs in the same period last year.

Production in the South was largely led by Tamil Nadu, where output went up by 14.6 per cent to 18.21 million kgs (15.89 million kgs in July last year), while other states, such as Kerala and Karnataka witnessed a decline due to heavy rains. Production in Kerala during July was down by around 15 per cent to 4.24 million kgs (4.98 million kgs). Also, the output in Karnataka was down to 0.23 million kgs (0.32 million kgs).

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