India has pulled down the global black tea production in calendar 2020. “According to our compilation of the official data received from various countries, the global black tea production has fallen to 2,228.16 million kg (mkg) from 2,285.84 mkg in 2019”, Rajesh Gupta, compiler of ‘Global Tea Digest’, told BusinessLine. This fall of 57.68 mkg marked a loss of 2.52 per cent. “The bulk of the fall has happened in India at 134.48 mkg as production nosedived to 1,255.60 mkg from 1,390.08 mkg in 2019. The entire loss occurred in the North India,”Gupta said. “Sri Lanka’s output declined to 276.03 mkg from 297.63 in 2019, marking a fall of 21.60 mkg or 7.26 per cent”, he said. Bangladesh’s production dropped to 86.39 mkg from 96.07 mkg in 2019, marking a loss of 9.68 mkg or 10.08 per cent. Malawi’s output fell to 39.70 mkg from 43.21 mkg in 2019 – a loss of 3.51 mkg or 8.12 per cent. The only country which posted an impressive gain was Kenya. “Kenya’s production has increased to 570.44 mkg from 458.85 – a gain of 111.59 mkg or 24.32 per cent,” he said. However, this increase was inadequate to offset the massive loss in India and other countries put together. Prolonged lockdown and adverse weather are said to be the major reasons for the lower output in various countries
Source: The Hindu Business Line
