India’s Tea Exports Rise By 8.67% In Volume, 13.18% In Value In H1 FY25

India’s tea exports saw a significant increase in the first half of FY25, with export volumes rising by 8.67% and export value up by 13.18%.

Between April and September 2024, the country exported 122.55 million kg (mkg) of tea, up from 112.77 mkg in the same period last year. The value of these shipments reached ₹3,403.64 crore, compared to ₹3,007.19 crore in FY24, according to provisional data from the Tea Board.

The unit price of tea also saw an increase, rising by 4.15% to ₹277.73 per kg, up from ₹266.67 per kg last year.

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Exports from North India grew by 7.05% to 71.04 mkg in H1 FY25, compared to 66.36 mkg last year. In terms of value, exports from North India jumped by 14.5% to ₹2,261.91 crore. The unit price in this region increased by 7% to ₹318.68 per kg from ₹297.95 per kg.

Shipments from South India grew by 11% in volume to 51.51 mkg, up from 46.41 mkg in FY24. The value of South Indian exports rose by 10.65% to ₹1,139.73 crore. However, the unit price for South Indian tea remained steady at ₹221.26 per kg.

According to Dipak Shah, Chairman of the South India Tea Exporters Association, markets such as Iraq, UAE, and the US have shown growth this year. He noted that tea exports to Iran, the largest market, are likely being routed through the UAE.

UAE emerged as the largest buyer of Indian tea in H1 FY25, followed by the US, Iraq, Russia, and the UK in terms of value.

While exports have generally grown, Shah mentioned that shipments to Iraq slowed in the past month, following a decrease in large shipments. However, during the January-September period of 2024, India’s total tea exports registered an 18% growth in volume, reaching 190.08 mkg, compared to 161.26 mkg last year. The value of exports during this period increased by 16.36% to ₹5,064.59 crore, though the per unit price dropped slightly to ₹266.45 per kg from ₹269.91 per kg.