Tea production in The Nilgiris, the largest tea producing district in the South, has increased by 43.76 per cent in the first half of current calendar over the same period of 2016.
Tea companies in the district have informed the Tea Board that in June, production rose to 1.57 million kg (mkg) from 1,41 mkg in June 2016. This increase of 0.16 mkg marked a growth of 11.35 per cent. The five-year mean production for June was 1.72 mkg.
In June, weather became normal and so, the unusually high cropping experienced in the past couple of months did not happen in June. Still, all agro-climatic zones in the district except Kotagiri produced more tea.
However, aided by the increase in the previous months, the overall production in the first half of current calendar rose to 8.18 mkg from 5.69 mkg. This increase of 2.49 mkg marked a growth of a whopping 43.76 per cent. The five-year mean production for Jan-June was also lower at 7.18 mkg