India’s tea production for the month of November stood at 112.42 million kgs, a drop of 1.03% as compared to 113.59 million kgs production in November 2012, as per Tea Board estimates. This fall in production was due to lower output in Assam and West Bengal.
The output in Assam, the largest tea-producing state, decreased 7% and stood at 55.11 million kgs in November from 59.04 million kgs in a year earlier. In West Bengal, production dropped 8% to 28.14 million kgs from 30.47 million kgs. Assam and West Bengal are the two largest tea-producing states and their combined output accounted for about 76% of the total production in November.
However, the combined production of tea in the south Indian states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka increased 21% to 27.05 million kgs from 22.34 million kgs. India is the world’s second-largest producer and biggest consumer of tea. The country’s tea production increased 3.62% to 1,135 million kgs in 2012-13.