Drop in tea production

Ramani Kangaraarachchi

The total production of tea in Sri Lanka during the month of September has dropped by 2,662,615 kgs which is a 9.5 per cent decrease against the total production in September 2006 according to a Sri Lanka Tea Board report.

The total production in 2006 during the corresponding month amounted to 2,535,981 kgs. The total production during the period from January to September 2007 amounted to 219,433,137 kgs as against 238,113,012 kgs produced during the corresponding period of 2006, shows a decrease of 18,679,875 kgs which is 7.8 per cent the report said.

However only Green tea has recorded a slight improvement compared with 2006 which is an increase of 20,000 kgs.

Director General Sri Lanka Tea Board, H.D. Hemaratne said that this improvement had been there continuously.

He said the drop in production continued but the difference in the drop has a positive improvement and this situation will improve further in the coming months, he said.