India's Oct tea output drops 3.7 pct y/y-Board

MUMBAI: India's October tea production fell 3.7 percent from year ago to 176.44 million kg as plucking dropped in top producer north-eastern Assam state, the state-run Tea Board said on Friday.

Production in Assam fell 7.6 percent to 96.21 million kg in October, the board said.

The country's tea exports in first ten months of 2018 edged up 1.2 percent from a year ago to 200.38 million kg, the board said.

India, the world's second-biggest tea producer, exports CTC (crush-tear-curl) grade mainly to Egypt, Pakistan and the United Kingdom, with the orthodox variety exported to Iraq, Iran and Russia.