MUMBAI: India's tea output in April 2011 remained largely steady at 68.77 million kg, while exports fell by 11 percent to 11.36 million kg from 12.76 million kg a year ago, data with the state-run Tea Board showed on Tuesday.
India is the world's second biggest producer of tea after China.
India exports CTC (crush, tear, curl) tea variety mainly to Egypt, Pakistan and the UK, and the premium orthodox variety to Iraq, Iran and Russia.
The country's Jan-April tea production remained steady at 163.16 million kg, while exports during the period fell by nearly a quarter to 51 million kg on weak demand from overseas buyers.
"This year weather is conducive for the crop. We are hoping good production in May and June as well," said Kalyan Sundaram, secretary, Calcutta Tea Traders Association.
A pest attack of helopeltis in the northeastern state of Assam, India's top producer, had trimmed the country's tea output in 2010.
Copyright Reuters, 2011
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