India's tea exports decline

India's tea exports in February 2011 fell 11.2 percent to 11.9 million kg from 13.4 million kg a year ago, data with the state-run Tea Board showed on Friday. India is the world's second biggest producer of tea after China. Tea exports in the first two months of 2011 were down 9.2 percent on year to 27.7 million kg, the data showed.
India exports CTC (crush, tear, curl) tea mainly to Egypt, Pakistan and the UK, and the premium orthodox variety to Iraq, Iran and Russia. The country's tea production in February 2011 fell by 7.2 percent to 16.7 million kg from 18 million kg a year ago, the board said on Thursday.