According to reports from Business Standard, Diana Tea Company reported a standalone net loss of ₹9.66 crore in the quarter ended March 2026, compared to a net loss of ₹8.89 crore in the corresponding quarter of the previous year. The company's revenue from operations declined 20.29% to ₹76.24 crore in Q4 FY26, down from ₹95.6 crore in Q4 FY25. The operating profit margin (OPM) deteriorated to -12.23% in the latest quarter, compared to -8.82% in the same period last year. As per the latest audited results approved by the Board on May 28, 2026, the company's total income for the quarter stood at ₹81.67 crore with total expenses of ₹181.48 crore.
As reported by Business Standard, the company achieved a significant turnaround for the full financial year. Net profit reached ₹1.75 crore in FY26, marking a substantial improvement from the net loss of ₹4.58 crore recorded in FY25. Revenue from operations grew 24.36% to ₹880.71 crore in FY26, compared to ₹708.24 crore in the previous year. The basic earnings per share improved to ₹1.17 in FY26 from negative earnings in the previous year. The total income for the full year increased to ₹905.05 crore from ₹752.84 crore in FY25, while total expenses rose to ₹890.17 crore from ₹752.84 crore in the corresponding period.
According to reports from Business Standard, merchant exporters are building inventories in anticipation of a recovery in shipments to West Asia, supporting orthodox tea prices despite higher freight costs and trade disruptions. The average price of orthodox tea at Kolkata auctions between Sale 14 (April) and Sale 22 (May 26-27) rose to ₹330.61 per kg from ₹315.26 per kg a year earlier. As per Anshuman Kanoria, chairman of the Indian Tea Exporters Association (ITEA), major tea-consuming countries are running low on stocks, prompting exporters to take significant risks and build inventories. Around 46% of India's tea exports are accounted for by Iraq, the UAE, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Egypt, making West Asia a crucial market for Indian tea exporters.
Despite the positive price outlook, tea exports faced significant challenges during the first quarter of 2026. Tea exports during January-March 2026 stood at 54.69 million kg, down from 69.24 million kg in the corresponding period of 2025, according to provisional data from the Tea Board of India. Freight rates have surged and cargo movement remains limited amid the West Asia conflict, with cargo being diverted through alternative channels or moved via sea and road transport, resulting in higher logistics costs. However, supplies are tight at destination markets, allowing sellers to pass on higher logistics costs or get compensated in part. As per M K Shah Exports, the market is expected to remain in favor of sellers until August due to the shortage at destination markets.
