Kerala tea producers fight for survival

23 July 1998

Kerala tea producers fight for survival

KERALA, Indias least profitable tea centre, must raise the quality of its crop to survive, reports the Financial Times.

The region would have been unable to sustain production at present levels if it was not for last years boom in prices triggered by a setback in the Kenyan and Indonesian crops, it says.

But difficult times are set to return, especially with Kenya harvesting a record crop this year.

Specialists in Mombasa say the Kenyan tea crop will reach 280-290 million kg, up byalmost 27% on last year.

• Financial Times 23/07/98 page 34