Despite record production this year, India is going to face a shortage of tea. The shortage is amounted to 27 million kilograms. Last year, the shortage was 23 million kilograms. The officials of Indian Tea Association said that they will import tea from Indonesia, Nepal and Vietnam to meet the domestic needs and export demand.
The Indian Tea Association officials said that due to the rising demand of tea, such problem has been created. Last year, the country consumed 780 million kilograms of tea and this year 805 million kilograms. The year to year growth of tea consumption is 3.3%. This is why import has become necessary.
The tea producers also blamed the poor yielding of tea in Assam and North Bengal for this shortage. In order to increase production, they have decided to uproot old plants and sow new plants, but it will take at least five to seven years for the new plants to mature and give new crops. Till then, this type of shortage will continue.
Growing tea has an interesting historical background in India. Tea used to grow as a wild plant in Assam. The British East India Company (EIC) was the first to know about this and they started the first commercial tea production. The first Indian tea was auctioned in London in 1838. India holds top position in tea industry since the 19th century. India produces 31% of the total tea production around the world. Tea is one of the major cash crops of India.
I never knew India, like China, also consumes that many tea.
Posted by: nepspeed82 | August 30, 2006 1:45 PM | Permalink to Comment