March 28, 2024 | 20:31 GMT +7

  • Click to copy
Friday- 23:03, 05/02/2021

India's tea output drops in 2020, lifts prices to a record high

Indian tea production in 2020 fell 9.7% from a year ago due to heavy flooding and coronavirus movement restrictions, lifting average prices by nearly a third to a record high, the state-run Tea Board said.
The price rise supported the beleaguered Indian tea industry, but trimmed exports.

The price rise supported the beleaguered Indian tea industry, but trimmed exports.

The price rise supported the beleaguered Indian tea industry, which was struggling with rising production costs, but trimmed exports from the south Asian country.

In 2020, India produced 1255.60 million kilograms of tea, down 9.7% from a year ago as floods damaged tea gardens in the northeastern state of Assam - which accounts for over half of India’s production - where output had already been cut by labour movement restrictions to contain the coronavirus outbreak.

Lower output lifted average tea prices in 2020 by 31% from a year ago to a record 184.69 rupees ($2.53) a kg, according to data compiled by the Tea Board.

Higher prices though, trimmed India’s tea exports, said an exporter in the eastern Indian city of Kolkata.

“Indian prices jumped but prices in competing Sri Lanka and Kenya didn’t rise. Buyers moved to these two countries,” the exporter, who declined to be named, said.

India’s tea exports in the first 11 months of 2020 fell 18.2% from the previous year ago 187.92 million kg, it said.

India, the world’s second-biggest tea producer, exports CTC (crush-tear-curl) grade mainly to Egypt and Britain, with the orthodox variety shipped to Iraq, Iran and Russia.

In the last few months, the key tea producing north-eastern part of the country has received good rainfall and that would lead to higher output in 2021, said Sujit Patra, secretary at Indian Tea Association.

“We are expecting better quality crop this year. Our exports are also expected to rise as key importing countries are recovering from COVID-19 that limited their purchases last year,” Patra said.

VAN

Reuters

New laying hen welfare standards paused following industry criticism

New laying hen welfare standards paused following industry criticism

(VAN) Anger over the planned introduction of veranda and daylight provisions for free-range and barn laying birds have prompted the UK’s largest animal welfare charity to pause implementation of its new welfare standards.

Heavy US corn market seeks to avoid acreage bomb on Thursday

Heavy US corn market seeks to avoid acreage bomb on Thursday

(VAN) Grain market analysts predict U.S. corn plantings will fall from last year’s decade high in favor of soybeans, which may present better profitability prospects for farmers.

South Korean scientists develop ‘beef rice’

South Korean scientists develop ‘beef rice’

(VAN) South Korean researchers have combined cow muscle cells with rice grains. They say the new rice is an important step towards a sustainable, less costly source of protein.

Bird flu discovered in U.S. dairy cows is ‘disturbing’

Bird flu discovered in U.S. dairy cows is ‘disturbing’

(VAN) Scientist who tracks infections on cattle farms discusses implications of recently announced virus detections.

What one horticulturist has to say about pesticide residue on produce

What one horticulturist has to say about pesticide residue on produce

(VAN) Take a stroll through the produce section at your local grocery store, and you'll likely have to decide whether to buy organic or conventional fruits and vegetables.

Drones and robots could replace some field workers as farming goes high-tech

Drones and robots could replace some field workers as farming goes high-tech

(VAN) The fruits and vegetables you eat may soon be cultivated and processed by an army of drones and robots, some powered by artificial intelligence. In fact, it's already happening on farms across America.

Russia has seemingly overcome the poultry crisis

Russia has seemingly overcome the poultry crisis

(VAN) Russian authorities have managed to bring the domestic poultry and egg market back in balance using the carrot of generous state support measures and a stick of antimonopoly investigations, according to officials.

Read more