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Tea exports to China, Pak. rise
Why in the news ?
- In the first half of 2018, India shipped larger quantities of tea to two neighbouring countries - China and Pakistan .
- Overall tea exports had increased to 112.1 million kg, from 107.1 million kg in the year earlier period.
Details
- According to data with the Tea Board, total earnings between January and June 2018 was Rs.2,177.1 crore, against Rs.2,091.8 crore a year earlier, although the unit (per kg) price of the commodity was marginally lower both in rupee and dollar terms this year.
- Exports dropped to India’s single largest market — Russia, as also the CIS countries — which together imported 28.7 million kg against 31.2 million kg.
- The opening up of the Chinese black tea market has thrown up opportunities for India.
- Exports to China, where India has been planning to take a delegation, rose to 4.4 million kg valued at Rs.77.1 crore in the first half, from 3.7 million kg and Rs.64.7 crore a year earlier.
- India was able to score an increase in exports to Pakistan too — to 7.2 million kg from 4.8 million kg, valued at Rs.66.7 crore against Rs.52.1 crore.
- Unit price, however, fell from Rs.108 per kg to Rs.92.8 per kg this year.
- Exports to Iran, a high value market, too rose from 10.9 million kg to 12.1 million kg.
Tea Industry in India
- Indian tea is among the finest in the world owing to strong geographical indications, heavy investments in tea processing units, continuous innovation, augmented product mix and strategic market expansion.
- The main tea-growing regions are in Northeast India (including Assam) and in north Bengal (Darjeeling district and the Dooars region).
- Tea is also grown on a large scale in the Nilgiris in south India.
- India is one of the world’s largest consumers of tea, with about three-fourths of the country’s total produce consumed locally.
- India stands fourth in terms of tea exports after Kenya (including neighbouring African countries), China and Sri Lanka respectively.
- Total Tea exports stood at US$ 837.33 million in 2017-18, as compared to US$ 731.25 million during the previous year.
- In 2017-18 major importers of Indian tea were Iran (US$ 126.36 million), Russia (US$ 120.83 million), UAE (US$ 66.28 million), USA (US$ 64.33 million) and UK (US$ 55.80 million)
Source
The Hindu.