Global black tea production which has been trailing behind last calendar year due to shortfall in India and Uganda has now marginally increased, thanks to Sri Lankan and African output posting gains.

“Sri Lanka’s September output has risen by 3.66 million kg (mkg) to reach 28.85 mkg. This has helped the cumulative production in the nine months to rise by 6.11 mkg to 254.59 mkg,” Rajesh Gupta, compiler of the annual Global Tea Digest, told BusinessLine.

Sri Lanka has posted the highest increase of black tea output so far this calendar over the corresponding period of last year. Till September, Malawi has produced 4.31 mkg more to reach 40.70 mkg and Bangladesh 1.40 mkg to touch 45.47 mkg. Kenya’s production has increased by 4.54 mkg to reach 282.73 mkg.

On the other hand, India posted the highest shortfall of 7.22 mkg so far this calendar to dip to 702.14 mkg followed by Uganda with a decline of 7.05 mkg to plunge to 32.09 mkg.

The increase in output by all other countries helped to take the global black tea production to 1,402.27 mkg from 1,399.32 mkg, a marginal rise of 2.95 mkg.
(The Hindu Business Line)