India’s tea export earnings rise 12.91% despite volume falling 5.47%

Thursday, 21 July 2011 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Coonoor, July 19: India’s earnings from tea exports in the current fiscal have increased because of higher price realisation despite a fall in the volume shipped, reveals an analysis of the latest information available with Tea Board and exporters’ organisations.

In the first two months of 2011-12, the volume exported dropped by 5.47 per cent to total 22.66 million kg (mkg) against 23.97 mkg last fiscal.

However, the low volume exerted pressure on prices. On the average, the prices rose by 19.43 per cent to touch Rs 139.68 a kg from Rs 116.96 last fiscal.

Consequently, the overall earnings increased by 12.91 per cent to peak to Rs 316.50 crore from Rs 280.31 crore.

Export earnings from North India registered an increase with both the volume shipped and the prices fetched rising.

However, South Indian exporters earned less due to a lower shipment arising from reduced availability.

Exports from North India rose to 10.27 mkg from 7.69 mkg.

With prices increasing to Rs 190.30 a kg from Rs 161.48, the overall earning soared to Rs 195.36 crore from Rs 124.18 crore.

In the South, volume shipped dropped to 12.39 mkg from 16.28 mkg.

So, despite prices rising to Rs 97.76 a kg from Rs 95.93, the overall earnings declined to Rs 121.14 crore from Rs 156.14 crore.