India’s Tea Production Falls 9% in June 2025 Amid Weather Woes and Pest Attacks

India’s tea industry faced a setback in June 2025, with production dropping by 9% to 133.5 million kg, compared to 146.72 million kg in June 2024, according to data released by the Tea Board of India. The decline was mainly due to adverse weather conditions and pest infestations, severely impacting both big planters and small growers across North and South India.

Reasons Behind the Decline

Adverse weather conditions disrupted tea gardens in major growing states. Pest infestations further reduced crop yield, especially in Assam and West Bengal. The Indian Tea Association noted that both large estates and small-scale farmers faced output losses.

Regional Production Trends

North India (Assam & West Bengal)

• June 2025: 112.51 million kg
• June 2024: 121.52 million kg
• Largest share of the decline due to erratic monsoons and pest attacks.

South India (Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka)

• June 2025: 20.99 million kg
• June 2024: 25.20 million kg
• Drop linked to excessive rainfall and leaf diseases.

Impact on Growers

Big & Organised Planters

• Produced 55.21 million kg in June 2025
• Down from 68.38 million kg in June 2024

Small Growers

• Produced 68.28 million kg in June 2025
• Down from 78.34 million kg last year

Tea Varieties Affected

CTC (Crush, Tear, Curl): 117.84 million kg (major share of production)

Orthodox Tea: 13.82 million kg

Green Tea: 1.84 million kg

The decline affected all three categories, threatening both domestic supply and exports.