India8217;s tea output set to fall

Tea output in India,the world8217;s second biggest producer,is likely to fall in 2010/11 on adverse weather and a pest attack in the biggest growing area, which will hurt quality exports,a senior official said.

Excessive rains and a pest attack has hit tea gardens in Assam. In months of June-July,tea production is estimated to be lower than last year,Basudeb Banerjee,chairman of Tea Board said in an interview on Wednesday.

India8217;s northeast state of Assam is the biggest producer in the country.

In current financial year,our production would be lower than last year,but quantifying that at this moment is difficult. It depends on weather,no one can predict weather,he said.

India had harvested 991.18 million kg in 2009/10.