Sri Lanka
A record US$1.37 billion was collected in tea exports by Sri Lanka in 2010, earning the country more than Kenya, despite the latter’s greater export volumes.
The income, an increase of 16% over that of 2009’s drought-affected crop, was generated by sales of 314 million kg, itself 8% higher than last year’s production.
“Interestingly, Kenya exported a highest-ever 441 million kilos in the year 2010,” according to a tea broker quoted by Lanka Business Online. “The approximate US dollar value was US$859 million. Kenya produced a highest-ever 399 million kg, a sharp improvement on the drought-crippled 2009 figure of 314 million kg.”
Sri Lanka exports more added-value tea and earns a higher income accordingly, the report said, citing that 65% (143.9 million kg) of Sri Lankan tea is exported in packets and 9% in tea bags. Most of its green tea exports of 5.7 million kg also fall into these segments.