The Tea Board of India has set itself an ambitious target of doubling its exports to Australia in the next five years. The exports currently stand at 3 million kilos, a top official said.

Indian tea exports to Australia stood at three million kilos, and considering the demand for more specialised and premium teas, the Board is eyeing to double it in the next five years, Executive Director of Tea Board, Coonoor, C. Paulrasu, told reporters in Coimbatore last night. He was in the city to attend the annual general meeting of Tea Traders Association of Coimbatore.

Paulrasu, who was on a visit to Australia as part of a 15-member delegation recently, said that the country, with 15 million kilo market, was looking only for speciality teas, like green teas, organic teas, and premium value-added teas.

Stating that tea exports had gone up by 10 per cent in 2015-16, compared to the previous year, to touch 221 million kg, he said that Indian exporters were fully geared to cater to the international market.

But, he added that tea production in South India has dipped by 21 million kg to 121 million kg, during the first seven months, compared to 142 million kg during corresponding period last year. He said that it was mainly due to erratic rainfall followed by extended periods of drought in major producing pockets.