Page 2 - Tea Industry

Coca Cola India in tie-up with Luxmi Group's Makaibari for iced green tea

The bottled iced green tea was formally launched on the second and concluding day of the Bengal Global Business Summit

Tea industry in hot water over financial stress and production woes

While tea prices remained stagnant, wages of tea garden workers increased significantly in the last five years

Tea industry passing through acute financial crisis: ITA status paper

Indian Tea Association (ITA), the leading body of tea planters, Thursday said that the industry is passing through a phase of acute financial crisis with prices not keeping pace with the rising costs of production. The ITA in its status paper 'Tea scenario 2023' said while tea prices increased at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of around four per cent over the last decade, costs of vital inputs like coal and gas among others grew at a CAGR of nine per cent to 15 per cent during the same period. Besides, the exponential increase in production following the emergence of small tea growers resulted in surplus teas remaining in the system as domestic consumption and exports have not grown to absorb it, the status paper said. On the price trends of the beverage during the current fiscal, it said tea prices declined alarmingly in 2023 compared to 2022. The auction prices of CTC and dust teas covering sale numbers 14 to 39 are down by Rs 12.49 per kilogram for Assam tea and Rs 11.30

FSSAI analysing tea samples to determine safety standards, says CEO

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is analysing tea samples from various parts of the country to determine whether these were adhering to the safety standards, an official said on Saturday. The official said that FSSAI, a statutory body for regulating food safety, had conducted surveys and collected samples across the tea industry in the country which are presently being analysed regarding the levels of pesticide residues present in them. "Regarding the tea industry, we have conducted surveys and currently analysing the samples which were collected. We will then present our findings to the industry", CEO of FSSAI, G Kamala Vardhana Rao, said. Rao said FSSAI will train the growers, manufacturers, traders and all those involved in the supply chain from tea production to sales. He said FSSAI has also sought the cooperation and support of Tea Board in this endeavour. Rao who also met officials of the Tea Board earlier in the day said the food safety regulator ha

Tea production decreases by around 4% to 177.95 mkgs in August, shows data

Tea production across the country declined by around four per cent to 177.95 million kilograms in August this year as compared to the output in the year-ago month. The production volume in August last year was 185.48 million kgs (mkgs). According to Tea Board data, production in north India, primarily comprising the states of Assam and West Bengal, fell to 158.04 mkgs in the month under review from 170.97 mkgs produced in August, 2022. In Assam, production volumes decreased to 99.78 mkgs in August this year as against 109.81 mkgs in the year-ago month. Production in West Bengal also fell to 53.65 mkgs in August 2023, as against 56.19 mkgs in the corresponding month last year. Tea industry sources said that production in north India declined due to adverse weather conditions and pest attacks. However, production volumes increased in South India, which stood at 19.91 mkgs in August this year as compared to 14.51 mkgs in the same month of 2022.

How to brew stronger exports? Tea board and tea producers differ

Anshuman Kanoria, chairman, Indian Tea Exporters Association (ITEA), says that India would be fortunate to touch 200 million kg exports this year

Tea Board to revert to the old English auction system across India

The Tea Board of India has written to registered auction organisers across the country, producers associations and buyers associations that it has been decided to revert to the old English auction system for which it has issued necessary timelines. The letter issued on Monday said that it has been decided to introduce the practices of the erstwhile English auction system under the ambit of the Bharat auction model. Earlier, the Bharat auction system was introduced in North India in April 2023, while the same was already in force in South India much before. The letter said that the Tea Board had already held consultations with NSEIT Limited regarding the re-introduction of the features of the English auction system in the newly configured software. While the Tea Board had earlier suggested dropping of sale numbers 39 and 40 in all the auction centres across India, the statutory body revoked the decision after producers' bodies said the tea companies would suffer financially if these

National Chai Day: History, Importance, Celebration, Quotes for chai lovers

Chai Day is huge as it celebrates the exotic varieties of tea in India. Chai or tea is also referred to as 'masala chai'. It was first presented in Asia as a herbal drink

Demand for quality tea gardens remains robust despite shrinking margins

Margins are shrinking; prices are stagnant, but the demand for quality tea gardens remains as robust as ever

After dry spell, rains may play spoiler for tea industry in Bengal, Assam

Scanty rain in the first fortnight of June has already caused a crop loss of 15-35% in the two states

Indian tea after 'Sri Lanka effect': Challenge will be to focus on quality

Exports gained when production in troubled island nation dropped sharply in 2022; to maintain that momentum as its competitor bounces back, domestic industry's challenge will be to focus on quality

Tea exports to Russia soar 21%, belying war worries; some lost share gained

Sri Lanka crisis, sanctions on Russia that made sourcing from other countries difficult help domestic industry post better numbers

Lack of demand for all categories of tea in Sale 05, says CTTA official

The downward trend in total demand and total offerings was in evidence once again for all categories of tea during Sale-05, a Calcutta Tea Traders Association (CTTA) official said. The auction was held on February 1 and 2 and the market witnessed a lack of demand, he said on Saturday. The total demand declined further by 28.56 per cent during this auction, he added. According to CTTA official data, the total offerings amounted to 1,14,970 packages (33,17,286 kg) comprising 53,418 packages of CTC leaf, 38,952 packages of orthodox, 1,293 packages of Darjeeling leaf and 21,307 packages of dust tea. CTC leaf met with fair demand at lower price level and a total of 12,13,470 kg of different categories was sold at an average price of Rs 152.88 per kg. Around 61.41 per cent of the total demand was witnessed for CTC leaf at below Rs 150 per kg price level and only 3.68 per cent was marked at above Rs 250 per kg level, it revealed. Western India operated on liquoring teas and other intern

Tea sector unhappy over total negligence in Union Budget 2023-24

According to the Darjeeling Tea Association (DTA)'s principal advisor S. Mukherjee, the tea sector was probably the only industrial segment which was not spared even a word as regards to any industry

Climate change, competition from cheaper tea imperil Darjeeling industry

Darjeeling tea with its bright metallic colour was the first product of the country to be awarded the Geographical Indication (GI) trademark in 2004

Tea industry facing multiple challenges in wake of Covid pandemic: Experts

The tea industry has been no exception to the ravages of the Covid pandemic over the last two years, as it grapples with low prices and high input costs, with stakeholders calling for more focus on quality and boosting exports. Production, too, has seen a decrease in the last few years since the onset of the pandemic due to restrictions on plucking -- from 1,390 million kg in 2019 to 1,258 million kg in 2020, 1,329 million kg in 2021 and 1,050 million kg till October this year. According to industry experts, the fall in production had helped in higher price realisation at the auctions. Secretary General of Tea Association of India (TAI) Prabir Bhattacharya said though the average auction price touched Rs 206 per kg in 2020, it fell to Rs 190.77 per kg the following year. So far in 2022, the average price has been Rs 204.97 per kg, he said. The increase, however, is concomitant with rise in wages across north India, besides hike in the cost of energy, fertilisers and logistics, ...

Dhunseri Tea to acquire two estates from Apeejay Tea in Assam's Tinsukia

The acquisition would give Dhunseri a bigger pie in Assam's tea market

Demand for tea dropped by 10.35% during Sale-47, reveals CTTA data

The total demand for all categories of teas dropped by 10.35 per cent during Sale-47, Calcutta Tea Traders Association data (CTTA) said. Sale-47 was held from November 22 to 24. However, Darjeeling leaf scored a gain in demand during this week as compared to last auction, it said. According to CTTA officials, the total offerings amounted to 2,46,299 packages (included 71,22,834 kg) comprising 1,31,783 packages of CTC leaf, 72,850 packages of Orthodox, 3,417 packages of Darjeeling leaf and 38,249 packages of Dust teas. This week's CTC leaf saw a fair demand and 23,60,214 kg of different categories were sold at an average price of Rs 200.15 per kg. Most of the demand was marked between Rs 150 to Rs 200 per kg price level. Around 24.51 per cent was claimed at a lower price level while 19.06 per cent was demanded at higher price level. Western India supported well. Hindustan Unilever operated actively while TCPL remained selective. Exporters registered fair support. Orthodox leaf met

Warren Tea to exit plantations, plans expansion of IT and hotel businesses

Signs deal with Dhunseri group for the last four estates it currently owns

Tea exports rise 14.8% to 140.28 mn kgs in Jan-Aug period this year: Data

Exports of tea from India increased by 14.8 per cent to 140.28 million kilograms in the first eight months of the 2022 calendar year, according to Tea Board data. Tea shipments during the January-August period in 2021 stood at 122.18 million kilograms (mkgs). The CIS countries, including Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan, remained the largest importer of Indian tea with 30.56 mkgs in the first eight months of 2022, marginally higher than 29.13 mkgs shipped out to these nations in the year-ago period, the data said. Sources in the industry said that tea exports did not pick up substantially due to shipping and container costs which skyrocketed due to the war between Russia and Ukraine. After the CIS countries, UAE was the second largest importer at 23.84 mkgs, a rise of 157 per cent from 9.27 mkgs in the similar period in 2021. Owing to economic sanctions imposed by the US on Iran, tea shipments to the west Asian country also failed to increase in the first eight months of 2022. Expo