Scope huge for Indian tea sector, says global expert

India has all the ingredients to become the superpower of the tea industry, according to the Executive Director of the International Tea Committee, James Suranga Perera.

Mr. Perera, who spoke recently at the India International Tea Convention in Kochi, told The Hindu that India was the second-largest producer and consumer of tea and the third-largest exporter.

Of the total global tea production of 7.074 billion kg and consumption of 6.97 billion kg in 2024, India produced 1.303 billion kg and consumed 1.22 billion kg.

On export front, Kenya, which is the largest exporter of tea, ships almost the entire quantity it produces and China, the second-largest exporter, consumes domestically a substantial volume of the tea it produces. Sri Lanka exported 245 million kg worth $ 1.4 billion. However, India exported 255 million kg valued at almost $800 million.

Hence, India should focus on quality to get better realisation and explore newer markets such as South America and Africa.

On the domestic front, Indian consumers are increasingly willing to pay more for quality. While India’s per capita consumption is 840 gm a year, Turkey’s per capita consumption of 3 kg a year is the highest globally. If the Indian per capita consumption can touch even one kg, it will consume the entire quantity that it produces. “So, the scope is definitely there (for the Indian tea sector),” he said.