Assam tea output jumps 18% in September after weak August

Assam's tea gardens produced 110.90 million kg of tea in September 2026, 18 per cent more than the 93.97 million kg made in September last year, according to the latest Tea Board of India figures reported by BusinessLine.

The rebound in India's largest tea-growing state pushed national production for the month up 15 per cent to 184.22 million kg, compared with 160.60 million kg a year earlier.

Assam Valley leads, Barak Valley flat

Almost all of the growth came from the Brahmaputra valley. Assam Valley produced 106.04 million kg, up 19 per cent from 89.15 million kg. Cachar, which covers the Barak Valley gardens, was nearly flat at 4.86 million kg against 4.82 million kg last year.

The September figure is a sharp turnaround from August, when Assam's output slipped to 104.05 million kg from 105.75 million kg a year earlier.

North India up, South India down

Production across North India rose 19 per cent to 166.21 million kg in September. West Bengal grew 22.58 per cent to 49.44 million kg, with the Dooars up about 21 per cent at 27.67 million kg and the Terai up 27 per cent at 21.13 million kg. Darjeeling dipped slightly to 0.64 million kg from 0.73 million kg. Other North Indian states, a group that includes the smaller growers of the North East, together produced 5.87 million kg against 5.01 million kg.

South India went the other way, with production falling 15 per cent to 18.21 million kg. Tamil Nadu dropped 22 per cent to 12.33 million kg, while Kerala was almost unchanged at 5.19 million kg and Karnataka rose to 0.49 million kg.

Why it matters for Assam

Assam's tea industry employs lakhs of workers across hundreds of large estates and a fast-growing small-grower sector, and monthly output swings feed directly into auction prices at Guwahati and Kolkata. A strong September, which falls in the second-flush and main monsoon season, gives gardens more crop to sell in the peak months before plucking slows in winter.

Whether the jump translates into better earnings will depend on prices, which have been under pressure in recent seasons as supply rose faster than demand. The Tea Board's October figures will show whether the recovery holds through the end of the plucking season.