Tea auctions this week

By Forbes and Walker 

Tea Brokers

This week’s auction offerings totalled 7.7 M/kgs vis-à-vis 7.1 M/kg on offer the previous week. There was fair demand in general while a selection of liquoring High Grown BOP/BOPF’s appreciated by Rs. 10-20 per kg.

Ex-Estate offerings were similar to last week and totalled 1.1 M/kgs. The overall quality of teas showed no significant change. There was good demand with most teas appreciating by Rs. 10-20 per kg particularly as the sale progressed. Best Western BOP’s gained Rs. 20-30 per kg and more following a special inquiry whilst the corresponding BOPF’s appreciated by an average Rs. 10 per kg. 

BOP’s in the Below Best category were firm and Rs. 10-20 per kg dearer while in the corresponding BOPF’s category select clean leaf teas gained Rs. 10-20 per kg. The others were firm and up to Rs. 10 per kg dearer. Plainer neat leaf BOP’s gained up to Rs. 30 per kg whilst the others were firm and dearer to a lesser extent. 

In the corresponding BOPF’s category, clean leaf teas gained Rs. 20 per kg whilst the others were firm and Rs. 10 per kg dearer. Nuwara Eliya BOP’s declined by Rs. 20 per kg and more following quality whilst the corresponding BOPF’s were firm. 

Uva, Udapussellawa BOP, BOPF’s clean leaf teas were Rs. 10-20 per kg dearer while the others were irregular and barely steady. CTC BP1’s met with good demand all around whilst the PF1’s encountered selective interest and particularly the poorer sorts lost a Rs. 10-20 per kg. Once again, the liquoring leafy teas were neglected and often difficult of sale.

Low Growns comprised approximately 3.4M/kgs in the Leafy/Tippy catalogues. There was fair demand. In the Leafy catalogues BOP1/OP1’s were fully firm to dearer. OP/OPA’s too, particularly the cleaner types, were fully firm to dearer. At the lower end stalky poorer leafy teas were easier and declined Rs. 10-15 per kg. PEK/PEK1’s too were fully firm, with a range of neat and improved below best PEK1’s gaining Rs. 10-15 per kg. 

In the Tippy catalogues better FBOP/FF1’s together while the cleaner secondaries were firm to selectively dearer. Others where leafy style was not maintained prices were irregular. At the lower end too poorer leafy sorts were mostly lower Rs. 10-15 per kg. 

In the Premium catalogue there was good demand and prices were fully firm to dearer particularly for the well-made sorts. There was good demand from shippers to CIS, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Dubai, Kuwait and Libya.