Tea output in November recorded 31.23 million kilogrammes (kg) against 27.95 million kg in the same month last year. The output in the first 11 months has slipped 0.6 percent to 302.14 million kg from 304.10 million in the same period last year.
"Good agricultural practices such as fertiliser application are the main reasons for the growth," Sri Lanka Tea Board Director General H.D. Hemarathna told Reuters.
The tea board expects full-year output to end near last year's record high of 329.4 million kg.
The tea board hopes revenue from Sri Lanka's No. 1 agricultural export crop will rise to a record of more than $1.5 billion this year, from $1.4 billion last year despite turmoil in the Middle East and North Africa, home to some of the island nation's major customers.
Earnings from tea exports have risen 3.2 percent to $1.1 billion in the first nine months of 2011, the central bank's latest data shows. Earnings gained 16.1 percent to hit $1.4 billion last year.
Tea is one of the $50 billion economy's main foreign currency earners, along with remittances, garment exports and tourism.
The following table shows Sri Lanka's tea output (in kg):
November Jan-Nov
2011 2010 2011 2010
High Gr 8,143,209 7,335,814 73,354,646 72,799,359
Medium Gr 5,596,580 4,876,816 48,525,495 51,909,971
Low Gr 17,486,118 15,738,630 180,256,596 179,392,992
Total 31,225,907 27,951,260 302,136,737 304,102,322
($1 = 113.8950 Sri Lanka rupees)http://www.lbt.lk/news/economic/912-tea-trends