Lok Sabha Question No. 191 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-11-30
Subject: Export of Tea
Ministry: COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
Asked by: PONNUSAMY VENUGOPAL

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY (DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE)

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 191 TO BE ANSWERED ON 30 TH  NOVEMBER, 2015

## EXPORT OF TEA

## 191. DR. P. VENUGOPAL:

Will the Minister of COMMERCE & INDUSTRY ( वाणिज्य एवं उद्योग मंत्री ) be pleased to state:

- a) whether  only  95  million  kg  of  tea  is  exported  from  the  south  as  against  the production of 240 million kg of tea every year in the country and if so, the details thereof;
- b) whether  the  increase  by  10  million  kg  is  likely  to  make  a  big  difference  in  south Indian tea prices and if so, the details thereof;
- c) whether the United Planters Association of South India has suggested the Government  to  form  a  body  with  representatives  from  the  Government  and  the Industry that will fix targets for exports and work towards it; and
- d) if so, the details thereof and the response of the Government thereto?

## ANSWER

वाणिज् य एवं उद्योग राज् य मंत्री )श्रीमती निममला सीतारमि((स्वतंत्र प्रभार )

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) (SMT. NIRMALA SITHARAMAN)

- (a) Tea production vis-à-vis exports from South India during the last three years are given in the following table :

| Year              |   Production (M.Kgs) |   Exports (M.Kgs) |
|-------------------|----------------------|-------------------|
| 2012-13           |               241.69 |             84.78 |
| 2013-14           |               243.71 |             92.48 |
| 2014-15           |               241.36 |             87.49 |
| 2015-16 (Apr-Sep) |               129.83 |             45.42 |
| 2014-15 (Apr-Sep) |               130.37 |             43.45 |

Approximately  35%  of  South  Indian  tea  produced  is  exported.  The  quantity  exported from South India region has ranged from 85 million kilograms to 93 million kilograms during the last three years.

- (b) A verage  export  price  fetched  vis-à-vis  auction  price  of  tea  for  both  All  India  and South India are given in the following table:
- (c) & (d): The United Planters Association of South India (UPASI), in a representation, has expressed their willingness to work closely with the Government and Tea Board to promote South Indian tea in the important markets viz Russia, Pakistan, USA, UAE and Egypt,  Iran  and  South  East  Asia.  Suggestions  of  stakeholders  including  UPASI  for increasing export of Indian tea in the coming years have been noted.

| Year    |   All India Export price (Rs/Kg) |   All India Auction Price (Rs/Kg) |   South India Export price (Rs/Kg) |   South India Auction price (Rs/Kg) |
|---------|----------------------------------|-----------------------------------|------------------------------------|-------------------------------------|
| 2012-13 |                           185.26 |                            127.91 |                             129.58 |                               93.75 |
| 2013-14 |                           199.73 |                            126.12 |                             140.98 |                               95.82 |
| 2014-15 |                           192.07 |                            125.59 |                             135.69 |                               81.15 |

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