KOLKATA, March 30: Tea exports from India, the world's largest producer, rose 23.3 per cent in January from a year earlier to 13.77 million kg, the state-run Tea Board said on Friday.

Officials said rising overseas demand should keep sales high over the next few months, even as leading competitor Kenya overcomes a drought that hit their output and exports last year.

Indian tea production in January fell 12.3 per cent from a year earlier to 21 million kg, Tea Board officials said.

That will however change this year as Kenya seems to have overcome its problems, Basu said.

The bulk of India's exports in 2006 went to Iraq, Russia and the United Arab Emirates, officials said.

Tea production rose by 3 per cent to 955.9 million kg in 2006 from 2005 as good weather lifted production in the north, officials said.—Reuters