Dharamshala, May 21
The Dharamshala tea industry has recorded production of over 19,000 kilograms of first flush tea this season, with officials expecting output to rise further in May due to favourable weather conditions. First-flush tea, harvested in April, is considered premium quality and remains in high demand in international markets.
Production Manager of Dharamshala Tea Industry, Sujit Roy, said more than 19,000 kilograms of tea were produced in April, while around 1,000 kilograms had been prepared in March. He said total production had already crossed 30,000 kilograms by May, and the industry was expecting strong output during May and June as well.
Roy said nearly 10,000 kilograms of tea had already been produced in May, compared to 13,000 kilograms during the same month last year. He expressed hope that production in May this year could exceed 16,000 kilograms.
He added that current weather conditions were highly favourable for tea cultivation, with good rainfall followed by warm temperatures helping improve production.
Roy further said the tea industry has set a target of producing 1.5 lakh kilograms of tea this year. While no export orders have been received to date, discussions are underway with buyers in France. Tea has also been sold in markets including Delhi and Kolkata.
