Sri Lanka tea production decline

Coonoor: Sri Lankan tea output in the first quarter of the current calendar has come down 14 million kg over the same period of last year. According to the Sri Lanka Tea Board, between January and March, a total volume of 63.8 million kg was produced against 77.5 million kg in the same months of 2006. Of the 14 million kg loss, as much as 13 million kg was accounted for by orthodox teas. The output of this variety declined to 58.9 million kg from 71.9 million kg. CTC tea out put down marginally to 4.2 million kg from 4.6 million kg. Green tea output dipped to 0.61 million kg from 0.97 million kg.