Tea exports during the current calendar year are likely to be hit by the rising rupee and payment problems in Iraq, Minister of state for Commerce Jairam Ramesh said on Saturday.

Speaking at the AGM of Indian Tea Association in Kolkata, Ramesh said that exports this year may take a hit. "We will be happy if exports this year are maintained at last year's level," he said.

Last year, India exported 203.8 million kilograms of tea. Ramesh said that during the 11th Five Year Plan period, the government would spend around Rs 1,000 crore (Rs 10 billion) for the development of the tea industry. In the 10th Five Year Plan, Rs 350 crore (Rs 3.5 billion) had been spent.

Referring to the closed tea gardens in West Bengal, he said a joint panel had been formed with officials of the commerce ministry and state government.

The panel would explore the possibilities of re-opening the gardens, he said.

The Tea Board had tied up with IIT Kharagpur for conducting special satellite imagery of replantation and rejuvenation of tea gardens under the Special Purpose Tea Fund, Ramesh said.