Over 5 million kg of tea at Colombo Auction

The Colombo Tea Auction this week saw 5.88 million kg of tea on offer with 2.33 million kg of Low Grown Main Grades and 2.16 million kg of High and Mid Grown Main Grades, the Asia Siyaka market report stated.

Select best OP1/BOP1s were maintained, whilst improved best varieties gained; in the case of others in the below best category where quality did not maintain, most invoices remained unsold due to lack of suitable bids.
Teas at the lower end were fully firm. Well made OP/OPAs in general maintained, whilst poorer varieties were irregular. Pekoe/Pekoe1s in general gained substantially. In the Small leaf catalogues select best FBOP/FBOPF1s were fully firm to selectively dearer, whilst improved below best varieties gained.
Teas at the lower end too met with improved demand. In the Premium Flowery catalogues select best varieties declined, whilst improved below best varieties maintained.
There was less general demand in the Ex-Estate catalogues this week and most of last week's gains were wiped out. Best Western BOPs lost Rs.100 and more. Some better liquoring below best types were irregularly dearer Rs.50. Most others declined by a similar margin. Select few of the best BOPFs held firm. Most others lost upto Rs.100 per kg. Some below best types were firm to Rs.50 dearer. Others maintained last levels. Select improved Udapussellawa BOPs were dearer; others lost upto Rs.10. A few poorer teas lost Rs.20 to Rs.40. High priced CTC PF1s moved up Rs.100 and more. Other liquoring teas were about firm. BP1s held last levels. (SD)