Tea exports may end at a level of over 240 million kg in 2018-19, as per available trends. Between April 2018 and January 2019, India exported 209.9 million kg of tea against 215.2 million kg a year ago.
”These are provisional figures and are subject to revision,” Tea Board Deputy Chairman Arun Kumar Ray told The Hindu. Industry, too, was optimistic about export prospects during the current fiscal.
Countries where Indian exports are already on an upward trend include Iran, Bangladesh and China. Exports to the high-value Iran market stood at 29.2 million kg in the period under review against 26.7 million kgs. Officials at the Indian Tea Association (ITA) are hopeful of reaching record levels of exports to this market which likes orthodox teas. Against an average value of $ 3.1, tea exports to Iran fetched higher value with a unit price realisation of $3.7 per kg, according to official statistics.
During the 10 months of this fiscal, total export value stood at ₹4,478.9 crore against ₹4,288.4 crore a year ago. Sources said that it is expected that the marginal shortfall in exports to the Russian Federation and total CIS exports would be made up in the remaining two months of fiscal 2019. Confederation of Independent States (CIS) region include Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan and is the single largest importer at over 50 million kg.
Exports have maintained a ‘commendable’ level of around 250 million kg for the last two years and “the rapidly increasing production and the need for higher prices demand an increase in export volumes,” Vivek Goenka, ITA chairman, said adding the industry is targeting 300 million kg by 2020.