TEA production in Myanmar has risen sharply in recent years, a deputy general manager of Myanma Agriculture Service, U Kyaw Hlaing, said last week.

He said the area used to grow tea had risen from 154,000 acres in 1995-96 to 188,000 acres in 2003-2004 and production had increased from 32.5 million viss of green tea leaves to 45.5 million viss during the same period. A viss is 3.6 pounds.

Average yield an acre had risen from 219 viss in 1995-96 to 257 viss last financial year, U Kyaw Hlaing said.

The increase in production was due to opium crop substitution projects and increased demand, he said.

The government planned to increase the area covered by plantations to more than 200,000 during the current financial year.

About 65 per cent of the tea crop is grown in northern Shan State and the balance in southern Shan State, Sagaing and Mandalay divisions and Kachin State.

U Kyaw Hlaing said the application of advanced tea cultivation methods learned in study visits to India and Sri Lanka, two of the world’s biggest producers, had helped to increase production.

He said 16 government officials had received training in Sri Lanka and India since 1984.

Myanmar produces three types of tea, green, black and pickled. Green tea accounts for 52 per cent of production, black tea 31 per cent and pickled tea – which is an essential ingredient of a popular national snack – 17 per cent.

U Kyaw Thiha, the executive director at agri-business and exporting company, National International Commercial Enterprise Ltd., said there were good prospects for Myanmar green tea on export markets because it was grown organically.

U Kyaw Thiha said about 150 tonnes of green tea was exported each year to China and Thailand by border trade and small amounts were sold to France, Australia and Taiwan. He said more attention would need to be paid to quality control for exports to the European market to increase.

High quality green tea fetches about US$8000 a tonne on export markets. Prices on the domestic market vary from K800 to K2000 ( a viss), depending on quality.