Selective interest, prices dip at Colombo Tea Auction

There was selective interest this week at the Colombo Tea Auction where 5.50 million kg of tea were on offer with 2.21 million kg of Low Grown Main Grades and 1.94 million kg of High and Mid Grown Main Grades, the Asia Siyaka Brokers stated.
 

The market report stated that in the Leafy and Tippy catalogues there was fair demand while Semi Leafy catalogues met with less demand and most teas remain unsold.
There was selective interest from shippers to Iran, Russia and the UAE, while shippers to Turkey was barely active. In the leafy catalogues select best OP1 maintained, whilst best / below best varieties were easier. Teas at the lower end maintained.
Select best OP/OPAs were barely steady, whilst best/below best varieties met with fair demand and realized lower prices. Others and poorer sorts maintained. Select best Pekoe / Pekoe1s declined, whilst others too declined and remained mostly unsold. In the Small leaf catalogues select best BOP/FBOPF1s maintained whilst others declined. Teas in the best and below best category were easier; balance and poorer sorts maintained.
In the Premium Flowery catalogues tippy teas met with improved demand. Select best Western BOPs and BOPFs were irregularly lower following quality.
The market was lower Rs.50 to Rs.100. Nuwara Eliya BOP/BOPFs were a firm market. Udapussellawa BOPs were lower up to Rs.50. BOPFs were slightly lower. Uva BOP/BOPFs were irregularly tending lower. Better Medium BOPs were lower up to Rs.50 whilst others and the BOPFs tended irregular. CTC BP1/PF1s were irregularly lower. (SD)