There has been an 11.5 per cent decline in tea production in India during the January-May 2012 period. According to a crop survey conducted by the Tea Board of India, tea production during the January-May period is down by 28 million kg, as compared with the same period last year.
The decline in production is due primarily to unfavourable weather conditions.
The drop in production is visible across all the tea growing regions in North and South India except Cachar, said a press statement issued by the Indian Tea Association (ITA). In May 2012, the North Indian crop was down by 2 million kg while that of South India was down by 1.6 million kg.
ITA recently conducted a survey of the crop scenario amongst its member companies in Assam and North Bengal for the month of June.
The survey shows that major tea areas covering Upper Assam, Assam’s North Bank, Central Assam, Cachar, Dooars and Terai experienced a further decline of 3 million kg in June this year, as compared with the same period last year.
Tea production in Darjeeling in June 2012 shows a 36 per cent decline over last year.