According to data released by the Tea Board of India, India has exported 254 million kg of tea in 2024, thus becoming the second-highest exporter in the world. While Kenya retained the first spot in global tea exports, India surpassed Sri Lanka to take the second spot. Kenya exported over 500 Mkg of tea in 2024.
In 2023, India and Sri Lanka were neck-in-neck in tea exports with around 231 Mkg, but in 2024 India overtook the island nation with 24 Mkg more exports. India’s 2024 figures were also its second-best export margins behind 2018 when it exported around 256 Mkg of tea. India’s 2024 tea exports amounted to Rs 7,112 crore.
While India’s export figures hovered around 200-225 Mkg for the last several years, barring 2018, this impressive growth has provided the tea industry with the hope to touch the 300-Mkg mark by 2030. India, on average, produces 1,400 Mkg of tea every year.
The bulk of the export has come from the orthodox segment, the growth of which has been supported by various schemes launched by the Union and state governments in recent times. “With the favourable export policy by the Centre and support by the state governments, the industry is hopeful of increasing its export basket in the years to come,” said Prabir Kumar Bhattacharjee, secretary general of the Tea Association of India.
