Tight supply lifts tea prices at auction this week
Saturday, 12 July 2025 - 10:10 pm
The Colombo Tea Auction offerings totalled 6.1 million kilogrammes (M/Kgs), marginally lower to the 6.4 M/Kgs of last week.
There was good general demand and a firm to dearer trend in the prices for most teas on offer, perhaps reflective of an anticipated decline in the volumes and a strong parity rate favouring the exports.
The Ex-Estate offerings were similar to last and totalled 0.8 M/Kgs. The overall quality of the teas was fairly similar to last.
The Best Weste BOP/BOPFs continued to sell around last week’s levels, subject to price fluctuations, following quality. In the Below Best category, a selection of brighter BOP/BOPFs gained up to Rs.50 per kilogramme, whilst the others were irregular. At the lower end, the BOPs were firm and marginally dearer for the cleaner sorts, whilst the corresponding BOPFs were barely steady. The Nuwara Eliyas were mostly unsold, due to a lack of suitable bids. The Uda Pussellawa BOP/BOPFs were barely steady. The Uva – BOPs were firm, whilst a select range of clean leaf coloury BOPFs gained up to Rs.50 per kilogramme. Others sold around last.
The CTC teas sold around last week’s levels.
Select liquoring Leafy teas, both from the Easte and Weste sectors, in the High and Medium catalogues, continued to attract fairly useful demand.
Selective buying from the shippers to the UK and continent was seen, whilst there was less activity from the shippers to South Africa. Fair activity was seen from the shippers to Japan, China, whilst the shippers to the CIS and Middle East continued to be active on a wider cross-section of the teas.
The Low Growns totalled approximately 2.5 M/Kgs, with the Leafy, Semi-Leafy, Tippy and Premium categories experienced good demand.
In the Leafy and Semi-Leafy catalogues, the well-made BOP1s appreciated, whilst the others, including the bolder varieties, remained firm. The Select Best and Best OP1s together with the Below Best varieties appreciated, whilst the balance was firm. The well-made OPs and cleaner Below Best sorts gained, with the others selling around previous levels. The neater, shorter varieties gained in value, whilst the balance mixed/open types were irregular. The high-priced OPAs eased, whilst the balance was firm to dearer. The Select Best and Best PEKs were firm to dearer, whilst the others, including the mixed/open varieties, were lower. The teas at the lower end held firm. The PEK1s, in general, were firm.
In the Tippy category, the Select Best and Best FBOPs appreciated, whilst the balance was firm. The Select Best FF1s were firm, whilst the Best were firm to easier. The Below Best varieties and teas at the bottom sold at last levels. In the Premium catalogue, the very Tippy teas experienced strong demand and were significantly higher in price, whilst the Best and Below Best sorts appreciated, though to a lesser extent. However, the teas at the lower end were irregular.
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