India's tea production rose 17.7 percent to 149.76 million kg during January-April from 127.24 million kg in the year-ago period, the state-run Tea Board said on Monday. Tea production in April increased 3.75 percent to 55.10 million kg from 53.11 million kg in the same month last year, a Tea Board official said. Tea exports rose 7.62 percent in the first four months of 2005 to 52.80 million kg from 49.06 million kg in the year-ago period, the official said.
The value of exports in January-April increased 7.76 percent to 4.58 billion rupees ($105.2 million) from 4.25 billion rupees in the same period last year.
Tea exports in April were up 15.70 percent to 11.42 million kg from 9.87 million kg in the same month of 2004, the official said. The value of April exports was up 19.14 percent to 1.12 billion rupees from 940.01 million rupees recorded last April.
India's tea production in the year to March 2005 was down 2.32 percent to 830.92 million kg from 850.70 million kg in the previous year. But exports during the year rose by 1.51 percent at 185.83 million kg from 183.07 million kg in the previous year.
The Indian Tea Association, the forum of traders and exporters, said it was targeting exports of 200 million kg in 2005. India's tea industry was hit by labour trouble and falling international prices.
It faces a tough challenge from Sri Lankan and Kenyan producers eating into traditional Indian markets in Russia and the CIS countries.