Tea Import Bills Cost Increases Rs 15cr - Sep 23, 2008

Coonoor: Tea import bills in the first half of 2008 had increased Rs 15 crore over the corresponding period in 2007. This occurred because India imported a higher volume, despite the price increasing slightly. Between January and June 2008, India imported 8.22 million kg (mkg) at an average price of Rs 74.02 a kg against 6.25 mkg at Rs 73.43 in the corresponding period in 2007. Consequently, the overall import bill increased to Rs 60.81 crore from Rs 45.88 crore. Volume-wise, the largest import of 2.93 mkg came from Nepal followed by Indonesia 1.77 mkg and Kenya 1.63 mkg. Tea from Sri Lanka which enjoys the concessional duty of 7.5 per cent amounted at 2.15 lakh kg. Value-wise, India paid the highest import bill of Rs 20.3 crore to Nepal, followed by Rs 15.41 crore to Kenya and Rs 10.39 crore (Rs 7.36) to Indonesia