India's tea export volumes dwindle in 2012
Tea, one of India's top commodity exports, earned less foreign exchange in the first nine months of 2012 due to lower volumes. According to official statistics, the country exported 125.7 million kilograms of tea between January and September 2012, which is 22.7 million kilograms below previous year's volume. Tea gardens in south India experienced a drop in exports equivalent to 15.2 million kilograms, which is two times higher than that from the northern part of the country. Statistics released by the Tea Board of India show that India lost ground in all major export markets, with the biggest losses coming from its largest market of former Soviet Republics, followed by the UK, Pakistan, Iran, Iraq and the United Arab Emirates.