India’s tea output in June down 1.9% on lower production in the South

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India’s tea output in June declined by 1.9 per cent, mainly on a drop in production in the South.

According to the latest estimates released by the Tea Board, output in June was down at 142.39 million kg compared with 145.16 million kg in the same period last year.

In Tamil Nadu, the largest producing state in the South, output declined 12 per cent to 17.69 million kg, as compared to 20.17 million kg in the same period last year.

In Kerala, production dropped by 5.4 per cent at 6.65 million kg (7.03 million kg). Similarly, in Karnataka, production fell 58 per cent to 0.49 million kg (1.18 million kg) .

Drought-like conditions

“Production in South India has been declining since April 2024 due to a drought-like situation in April and May. The usual summer showers have been practically absent, wiping out the marginal production gains till March. The drought effect continued into June, as production up to June declined, taking the total deficit in South India to 13.33 million kg compared with the same period last year,” said R Sanjith, Secretary-General, The United Planters’ Association of South India (UPASI), the apex trade body.

“The July crop is also anticipated to be lower as the estates received heavy rains with low sunshine hours and certain regions experiencing high-velocity winds, which will also add to the drop in production,” Sanjith said.

Veteran tea planter, N Lakshmanan Chettiar of Golden Hills Estate in Coonoor, said the region witnessed a rare climate phenomenon this year with temperatures during May rising as high as 30 degrees Centigrade in the high ranges of South India, while humidity dropped to as low as 19 per cent, inducing abiotic stress in the plantations, which impacted output. The ideal relative humidity should be above 60 per cent, he said.

In the Assam Valley, tea output increased 11.3 per cent to 69.79 m kg over 62.70 m kg in the same period last year. Total production in Assam, including Cachar, was up 10.47 per cent at 73.48 million kg, against 66.51 million kg in the same period last year.

However, in West Bengal, production declined 14 per cent to 40.05 million kg, as against 46.65 m kg in the same period last year. The decline in West Bengal was across all the three regions – Dooars, Terai and Darjeeling.

In Dooars, tea output during June fell 16.92 per cent to 22.39 m kg from 26.95 m kg.

In Terai, the output was down at 17.16 m kg (19.17 m), while in Darjeeling production was down marginally at 0.50 m kg (0.53 m kg). However, in other states, production increased marginally to 4.03 m kg from 3.62 m kg in the same period last year.