Sri Lankan tea output recovers after droughts
The Sri Lanka Tea Board has announced an increase in country's output in April 2009 compared to the same period last year, suggesting the sector is recovering from the effects of severe droughts that hit the industry earlier this year. Total tea production in April was 29.2 million kilos, up 4.8 percent from 27.8 million kilos in April 2008. However, cumulative production for the first months of 2009 has seen a huge drop with an output of 78.7 million kilos, 29% below the 111.3 million kilos made in the same 2008 period.