Tea exports rise in first seven months of 2022

KOLKATA: Tea exports during the period January to July in the calendar year 2022 have touched 116.36 million kg as compared to 103.38 million kg in the same period of 2021.

According to Tea Board data, exports to the largest importing block, the CIS countries, remained almost stagnant at 25.20 million kg as against 24.98 million kg in the first seven months of 2021.

Tea industry sources said that exports were around same level because of the armed conflict between Russia and Ukraine which had caused serious shipment problems for sending the beverage.

Russia had been the largest importer among the CIS block with the country lifting 18.55 million kg in the current seven months as against 19.11 million kg in the previous similar period. Tea Board sources said the container crisis and high ocean freight had affected exports to Russia.

UAE emerged as a large importer at 19.14 million kg during January to July 2022, up from 8.07 million kg in the similar previous period of 2021.

Exports to Iran were also almost stagnant at 13.99 million kg in the first seven months, as compared to 13.04 million kg in the same period of 2021.

According to Tea Board sources, payments problem for exporting to Iran has affected exports, adding that trade in rupee with Iran will help in mitigating the problem to a large extent. Exports to Sri Lanka, troubled by the economic crisis, doubled to 1.65 million kg from 0.87 million kg in the first seven months of 2021.