Page 2 - Tea

Tea exports declines by 0.81% to 96.49 million kg during first half of 2023

Tea exports during January to June declined 0.81 per cent to 96.49 million kg as against 97.28 million kg in the corresponding period a year ago, according to Tea Board data. Exports from North India, comprising mainly Assam and North Bengal, marginally increased to 59.16 million kg compared with 59.09 million kg in the year-ago period, it said. However, shipments from South India declined to 37.33 million kg in the reporting period as against 38.19 million kg in January-June 2022. In the last calendar year, overall tea exports from the country stood at 231.08 million kg, registering a rise of 17.57 per cent over 2021, which was at 196.54 million kg. Secretary-General of Indian Tea Association (ITA) A Raha said it is unlikely that exports during 2023 will surpass the figures of 2022. The main cause for this is a slump in demand in the export markets and drop in shipments to Iran, due to payment issues with that country. Iran has traditionally been a major importer of Indian tea a

Tea production increases by 6.2% to 165 million kg during July 2023

Tea production in the country increased marginally by 6.2 per cent at 165.01 million kilogramme during July 2023 as compared to 155.29 million kilogramme in previous similar period. As per the latest Tea Board data, North India tea production during July this year stood at 143.05 million kilogramme, as against 135.77 million kilogramme in the corresponding previous period. Production in South India in July 2023 was also marginally higher at 21.95 million kilogramme as against 19.52 million kilogramme in the previous similar period. The percentage of production by small tea growers (STGs) as a proportion of overall volumes increased to 50.9 per cent in July 2023. Thus was 50.2 per cent in the previous similar month of 2022. In North India, both Assam and West Bengal registered higher production volumes during July 2023. The premium Darjeeling variety crop was lower at one million kilogramme during July 2023, as against 1.04 million kilogramme in the previous similar period, accordi

Himachal govt to provide 50% subsidy on tea-plucking machines, equipment

The Himachal Pradesh government has decided to offer 50 per cent subsidy on machines and equipment used to pluck tea leaves to provide relief to the state's tea industry. Small and scattered land holdings, high cost of labour and production, low productivity levels, and not enough tea auction centres are some of the factors hindering tea development in the state, people associated with the sector said. The move is expected to benefit about 5,900 tea growers in Palampur, Baijnath, Dharamshala and Kangra areas in Kangra district, Jogindernagar and Karsog areas in Mandi district and Bhattiyat in Chamba. The landholding of 96 per cent tea growers is less than 0.5 hectares. Earlier, tea growers were not covered under the agriculture tools scheme as equipment used for tea cultivation were different from those used for other crops, Agriculture Secretary Rakesh Kanwar told PTI on Monday. "Now, we have included them and they would get a subsidy for acquiring a certain set of equipment, ...

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

Significant rise in demand for all categories of tea in Sale 24

A significant rise in demand for all categories of tea was in evidence during Sale-24, a Calcutta Tea Traders' Association (CTTA) official said here on Friday. Despite reduced offerings Darjeeling tea improved its demand during this auction, he said. The total demand increased by 17.8 per cent along with increased total offered quantity during the auction as compared to last week, the official added. The auction (Sale-24) was held on June 13,14 and 15. According to CTTA data, the total offerings amounted to 1,48,214 packages (43,83,946 kg) comprising 62,627 packages of CTC leaf, 59,366 packages of orthodox, 3,489 packages of Darjeeling leaf and 22,732 packages of dust tea. CTC leaf again met strong demand and a total of 15,32,140 kg of different categories was sold at a higher average price of Rs 235.26 per kg as compared to last week. Around 23.72 per cent of the total demand was registered for CTC leaf at below Rs 150 per kg level while 45.73 per cent was marked above Rs 250 pe

Mixed trend in demand for different categories of tea during Sale-22: CTTA

Mixed trend in demand for different categories of tea was observed during Sale-22, a Calcutta Tea Traders' Association (CTTA) official said here on Friday. The demand for CTC leaf and Darjeeling tea increased while Orthodox leaf and Dust tea marked a weaker trend, he said. The total demand reduced by 3.05 per cent along with reduced offered quantity during the auction as compared to last week, the official said. The auction (Sale-22) was held on May 30 and 31. According to CTTA data, the total offerings amounted to 98,644 packages (28,32,493 kg) comprising 36,056 packages of CTC leaf, 45,103 packages of orthodox, 4,441 packages of Darjeeling leaf and 13,044 packages of dust tea. CTC leaf met good demand and a total of 8,03,325 kg of different categories was sold at an average price of Rs 198.97 per kg. Around 37.92 per cent of the total demand was witnessed for CTC leaf at below Rs 150 per kg level while 26.18 per cent was marked above Rs 250 per kg. Western India operated on be

Except Darjeeling leaf, other categories' demand marginally increased

Barring Darjeeling leaf the total demand for other categories of tea increased marginally during Sale-21, a Calcutta Tea Traders' Association (CTTA) official said here on Thursday. The total demand increased by 4.43 per cent along with increased offered quantity during the auction as compared to last week, the official said. The auction (Sale-21) was held on May 23 and 24. According to CTTA data, the total offerings amounted to 1,05,635 packages (29,44,037 kg) comprising 35,599 packages of CTC leaf, 53,873 packages of orthodox, 3,930 packages of Darjeeling leaf and 12,233 packages of dust tea. CTC leaf met good demand and a total of 7,80,512 kg of different categories was sold at an average price of Rs 184.91 per kg. Around 38.72 per cent of the total demand was witnessed for CTC leaf at below Rs 150 per kg level while 12.57 was marked above Rs 250 per kg. Western India operated on better teas and TCPL primarily engaged in medium variety. Some enquiry was in evidence from exporte

Kenya tea company suspends operations after protesters burn machines

A multinational tea company based in Kenya has suspended operations after tea plucking and harvesting machines were burned by protesters citing massive job losses due to mechanisation. The suspension of operations at the Ekaterra tea company's South Rift region farms will affect thousands of employees. The Kenya Tea Growers Association announced Tuesday that all large-scale tea producers in Kenya will scale down operations in solidarity with Ekaterra until security is guaranteed. Casual labourers previously employed to pick tea protested on Monday against the loss of jobs due to the use of machines. They told local media that, additionally, the automation of the picking process is causing more work for employees in the sorting department because machines do not pick the finest tea leaves. They burned five machines and looted tea products from one of the company's shops. The tea growers association has appealed to President William Ruto to intervene as there have been various other

Need more Indian brands selling local tea globally: VAHDAM CEO Bala Sarda

Citing how foreign brands are making the most of the opportunity from selling tea grown in India, VAHDAM CEO Bala Sarda on the occasion of International Tea Day said it is about time India moves beyond supplying and starts selling its world-class tea under more homegrown labels. Sarda, whose homegrown tea company is making waves internationally with the who's who of Hollywood -- including the likes of Oprah Winfrey, Ellen Degeneres and Mariah Carey -- endorsing the brand's exotic tea blends, said it is sad that there are more "European brands selling Darjeeling tea and American brands selling Chai" to the world than Indian brands. "I think we as consumers have always trusted origin products. For example, wine from France and whiskey from Scotland. But for some reason, European brands are selling more Darjeeling tea, and American brands are selling more Chai than any Indian brand was even doing remotely. "For India to be recognised as a country, which is trusted, which is a superpow

Indian Tea Association makes fresh appeal for floor price for tea

The industry had proposed to Ministry of Commerce for declaration of a floor price for green leaf (payable to small tea growers) and made tea (payable to tea producers) indexed to cost of production

Dry spell, rising temperature may take a toll on premium Darjeeling tea

Rains unlikely to unlikely to make up for the prolonged dry spell, says one expert

Indian diet, tea and turmeric lowered Covid severity, deaths: ICMR study

During the Covid-19 pandemic, the death rate was reportedly 5-8 fold lower in India which is densely populated as compared to lesser-populated western countries

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

Climate change threatening tea sector globally: Indian Tea Association

Leading planters body Indian Tea Association (ITA) said climate change is threatening the industry globally which is resulting in lower yields and rise in production costs. A spokesman of ITA said climate change is also threatening the long-term viability of tea industry, which is also causing increasing pest infestations making pesticide residue management surfacing as a major challenge. To mitigate this, ITA said that the industry needs to adopt a multi-faceted to address the climate change issue by way of sustainable farming practices and reduction in carbon footprint. In this context, the association maintained the industry involving all the stakeholders to invest in research to come out with mitigating solutions. There has also been a decline in rainfall and increase in temperature in the tea cultivating regions for the last several years, ITA said. According to the association, future projections indicate a substantial reduction in suitability in tea cultivation in areas whe

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

Inflation slows down packaged tea consumption growth, rural impact bigger

Tea drinkers forced to downgrade to lower qualities of beverage; consumption also impacted by rising milk prices

Cup of woes: Darjeeling tea production slips to near two-decade low

Figure is even marginally lower than in 2020, when a nationwide lockdown was imposed to contain Covid-19; Tea Board chief says output has gone down because due to old bushes

Weak tea biz a drag on domestic sales performance of Tata Consumer Products

International margins fall sharply on cost inflation, price lag in December quarter

We're looking at acquisitions but won't buy at all costs: Tata Consumer MD

In a Q&A, Sunil D'Souza talks about the company's strategy to launch more D2C brands and his outlook on demand for the company