Kolkata, Sep 22 (IANS) Jay Shree Tea and Industries Ltd, a B.K. Birla Group company, Thursday said it expected an 8 percent growth in its tea crop production in 2011-12.

"Tea production till now is higher by 1 million kgs and I think the crop would be higher by 2 million kgs by the year-end. Last year, production was 24.1 million kgs and it should be around 25.5-26 million kgs in 2011-12," the firm's managing director D.P. Maheswari told reporters on the sidelines of the company's annual general meeting (AGM) here.

The company is now looking at newer export markets.

"Despite Indian tea prices being lowest in the world, export is down mainly due to recent problem in Egypt and payment crisis in Iran," Maheswari said.

He said union Commerce Secretary Rahul Khullar Wednesday assured them that the Iran payment issue will be sorted out soon.

"We are trying to enter the US and Australia and have started supplying CTC tea to China," he added.