Good general demand at tea auctions

Overall Auction quantities showed no change and totalled to 6M/kg. There was good general demand.

Ex-Estate offerings showed a marginal increase and totalled to a 0.9M/kg. Overall quality was reasonably well maintained, although prices in general declined by Rs. 10-20 per kg.

Teas from the Uva/Udapussellawa planting districts continued the same momentum, though prices tend to fluctuate following quality and airmail enquiry. Here again, the plainer sorts declined Rs. 10-20 per kg. The feature of the sale would be the improved demand for Nuwara Eliya teas, which consequently appreciated substantially in value. Liquoring leafy teas continued to meet a good demand, appreciating further on last week’s attractive prices. CTC’s on average lost Rs. 10-20 per kg for both BP1 and PF1 grades. Shippers to Japan and the Continent were fairly active on the better liquoring teas, whilst shippers to the CIS, although less active, bid on a fair cross section of the offerings.

Liquoring Off Grade and Dust varieties too followed a lower trend and declined Rs. 10-20 per kg and Rs. 20-25 per kg respectively. Corresponding Low Grown varieties however witnessed a firm to dearer trend, particularly for the better sorts.

Low Grown’s comprised of approximately 3.2M/kg in the Leafy, Tippy catalogues. There was better demand all round. In the Tippy catalogue, FBOP/FBOPF1’s gained Rs. 10-15 per Kg. Teas at the lower end too were fully firm to dearer. A selection of well-made FBOPFSP’s too met with better demand and were dearer to previous whilst others sold around last levels. In the Leafy catalogue, better BOP1/OP1’s were substantially dearer whilst OP/OPA’s were dearer to previous. Here again, at the lower end there was better demand resulting in prices gaining Rs. 5-10 per Kg. Better PEK’s were firm whilst the others declined. There was better demand from CIS and Dubai whilst Turkey, Iraq, Saudi Arabia together with Kuwait were active this week. (Source: Forbes and Walker Tea Brokers)