COONOOR: The lockdowns notwithstanding, Nilgiris, which is the largest tea growing district in South India, registered 13.90 per cent increase in tea production last year over 2020.
Deputy Director of UPASI Tea Research Foundation K G Udaya Bhanu told TNIE that production increased to 14.91 million kg (mkg) from 13.09 mkg in 2020. However, the October-December was a testing quarter for the tea industry. “Heavy crop loss occurred in this period due to prolonged misty weather. Crop loss got aggravated due high incidence of blister blight disease”, he said.
In particular, in December, production declined by as much as 37.5 per cent over December 2020, he disclosed. What more, India topped the world black tea production table. Compiler of Global tea Digest Rajesh Gupta told TNIE that India produced 1,264.53 mkg against 1,183.44 mkg in 2020, marking a significant rise of 81.09 mkg or 6.86 per cent.
He said, “Global black tea output this year has risen to 2111.52 million kg (mkg) from 2018.27 mkg in 2020”.
This increase of 93.25 mkg marked a gain of 4.62 per cent. “Kenya’s output dropped to 434.50 mkg from 468.35 mkg in 2020 – a shortfall of 33.85 mkg or 7.23 per cent”, Rajesh Gupta said. This shortfall was, however, inadequate to offset the gain in India and other countries.