Tea production in the Nilgiris, the largest tea growing district in the South, remained flat in July.
Tea companies in the district have informed Tea Board that their production in July totalled 1.20 million kg (mkg) in July against 1.22 mkg in July 2016. The five-year average for the month was flat at 1.21 mkg.
This arose from lower rainfall in all agro-climatic zones except Udghagamandalam.
Helped by higher output in earlier months, the cumulative production in the seven months in current calendar increased to 9.39 mkg from 6.91 mkg.
This increase of 2.48 mkg marked a growth of 35.89 per cent.
The five-year mean for the period was 8.40 mkg. This marked an increase of 0.99 mkg or 11,79 per cent.