Kolkata, Jun 12 (IANS): India's tea exports grew by about 6.5 per cent to 79.72 million kg during the January-April period of 2018 as compared to 74.89 million kg exported in the corresponding period last year.

According to data from the Tea Board of India, in April tea export was up marginally to 14.5 million kg as against 14.33 million kg exported in the year-ago month and in value terms, export during the month was stagnant at Rs 277.6 crore as compared to Rs 277.71 crore in April 2017.

In value terms, tea exports for the first four months of the current calendar year, stood at Rs 1,524.92 crore, up by about 5.3 per cent from Rs 1,447.74 crore in the year-ago period.

In volume, tea exports to CIS countries, including Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and others, were at 20.46 million kg in the January-April period of 2018, down from 22.28 million kg in the same period of last year.

Exports to the UK also fell to 3.03 million kg in the period under review, as against 3.73 million kg in the year-ago period while exports at 2.95 million kg to Germany during the period were also down from 3.3 million kg exported in the corresponding months of 2017.

However, tea exports to Iran went up to 8.94 million kg in the period under review, from 7.18 million kg in the year-ago period.

As much as 4.89 million kg of tea was shipped out to Egypt during the first four months of current year, up from 2.94 million kg in the year-ago period.

Tea exports to Pakistan stood at 5.03 million kg in the period, as against 3.31 million kg exported in the corresponding months of 2017.

India's tea exports to China during the period were up at 3.04 million kg.