ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka’s tea price averages fell at an auction on March 12-13, with Low Growns continuing to weaken, while High and Medium Growns slightly gained, industry data showed.
Sri Lankan tea prices have moved up in 2024 both in rupee and US dollar terms.
The national weekly sale average fell by 5.66 rupees to 1338.73 rupees a kilogram this week, from 1344.39 rupees week industry data published by Ceylon Tea Brokers showed.
The weekly average was 4.36 dollars a kilo, up from 4.47 dollars a week earlier.
Prices have gained from an average of 3.66 US dollar a kilo seen at the last auction in December.
A total of 4.7 million kilos were sold by public auction.
Low Grown Teas
The weekly average of Sri Lanka’s highest priced tea, the Low Grown, fell by 10.16 rupees to 1387.38 rupees.
BOP1 Select bests maintained during the week, while bests, below bests and poorer sorts fell irregularly.
OP1 Select bests fell, while bests and below bests maintained. Poorer sorts of OP1 fell.
OPA Select bests together with bests fell, whilst poorer sorts maintained and gained.
Medium Grown Teas
The Medium Grown average went up by 2.56 rupees to 1217.39 rupees.
BOP1 Select bests maintained while all others dropped by 50 rupees per kilogram. OP1 Select bests, bests and below bests remained unchanged while others fell by 20 rupees per kilogram.
OP/OPA overall dropped by 50 rupees per kilogram. PEKOE/PEKOE1 PEK – Select best and bests eased 20 rupees per kilogram. PEK1 – Overall, dropped by 50 rupees per kilogram.
FBOP/FBOPF1 FBOP Select bests maintained, as Bests fell by 50 rupees per kilogram. Below bests and others eased by 100 rupees per kilogram. FBOPF1 in general fell by 50 to 100 rupees per kilogram.
High Grown Teas
The High Grown weekly average rose by 32.rupees to 1301.52 rupees a kilogram.
BOP Best Western’s maintained and gained by 50 rupees per kilogram. Below bests gained by 100 rupees per kilogram, and at times more.
Plainer coloury types gained by 50 rupees per kilogram
Nuwara Eliya’s were irregular, while Uda Pussellawa’s gained by 50 rupees per kilogram. Uva’s gained by 50 rupees per kilogram, as BOPF Best Western’s maintained and gained 100 rupees per kilogram.
Below best and Plainer types also gained by 100 rupees per kilogram and at times more. Nuwara Eliya’s maintained, while Uda Pussellawa’s gained by 50 rupees per kilogram, and at times more.
Uva’s gained between 50 to 100 rupees per kilogram. (Colombo/Mar15/2024)
