Over half of India’s tea imports come from Nepal

Coonoor: More than half of the total volume of the tea India imported in 2010 came from Nepal, reveals an analysis of data available with the Tea Board and the importers.

In the first three quarters of calendar 2010, the latest period for which official data is available, India imported as much as 5.25 million kg (mkg) out of the total volume of 9.65 mkg from Nepal.

This means 54.40 per cent of the tea imports came from Nepal. In the corresponding period of 2009, imports were 4.22 mkg out of 13.07 mkg, accounting for 32.29 per cent.

Kenya supplied the second highest import at a distant level of 1.55 mkg (2009: 1.39). Imports from Sri Lanka for which there is duty concession totalled only 0.17 mkg (0.75).

Value-wise, India paid the highest import bill of Rs. 45.82 crore (Rs. 36.69) to Nepal out of the country’s total import bill of Rs. 94.54 crore (Rs. 112.06). The second highest bill of Rs 18.71 crore (Rs. 19.43) maws paid to Kenya.

On the average, India had to pay Rs. 9 more per kg to average Rs. 94.54. The highest price of Rs. 277.99 a kg was paid to Germany from which there was no import in 2009.

India paid the second highest price of Rs. 255.49 (Rs. 181.70) to the UK followed by Rs. 161.79 (Rs. 121.44) to Sri Lanka and Rs. 152.97 to Kazakhstan from where there was no import in 2009.

In all, India had imported tea from about 15 origins, some trading, not producing. The overall import bill declined because of a lower volume.



(The Hindu Business Line)