India witnessed a 1.17 per cent decline in tea exports, totalling 207.14 million kilogram (kg) during the January-November period of 2023, as reported by official data.
This figure marks a decrease from the 209.60 million kg exported during the same period in the previous year.
According to Tea Board data, North India, primarily comprising Assam and West Bengal, experienced a decrease in exports, with shipments dropping to 125.27 million kg from 132.21 million kg in the comparable periods of 2023 and 2022, respectively. Conversely, South India saw an increase in exports during the first 11 months of 2023, rising to 81.87 million kg from 77.39 million kg in the previous similar period.
Additionally, industry sources attributed the decline in exports to volume loss in the Iranian market due to payment issues. Iran, accounting for 20 per cent of India’s total tea exports, alongside the Commonwealth of Independent States bloc, presents a significant export destination. However, uncertainty surrounding shipments to Iran has contributed to a grim export outlook for the full calendar year of 2023.
In December 2023, tea production in India reached an estimated 77.52 million kilograms, up from 64.53 million kg in the same month of the previous year.
Further, the challenges faced in key export markets underscore the need for strategic measures to stabilise and diversify India’s tea export portfolio, ensuring the sustainability of this vital industry.
