Shippers to Syria selective at Colombo Tea Auction

The Colombo Tea Auction saw 5.5 million kg of tea on offer this week with 2.46 million kg of Low Grown Main Grades and 1.65 million kg of High and Mid Grown Main Grades.

In the Low Grown catalogues select best OP1s maintained, whilst corresponding BOP1s declined. Well made OP/OPAs in general were fully firm to dearer, whilst below best OPAs together with poorer sorts were barely steady. Pekoe/Pekoe1’s in general were fully firm to dearer. In the small leaf catalogues select best FBOP/FBOPF1s were fully firm to dearer, whilst a range of improved below best varieties maintained; others were irregular and at times lower.

Shippers to Azerbaijan, Turkey and Russia were active, whilst shippers to Syria were selective.

Ex-Estates’ met with fair demand at slightly lower rates following quality. Better Western BOP/BOPFs were lower Rs.40 to Rs.50; coloury below best BOPs were firm to dearer and their BOPFs were about firm. Nuwara Eliya BOPs were about firm on last with hardly any BOPFs were on offer this week. Udapussellawa BOPs were irregular lower. BOPFs were about firm. Uva BOP/BOPFs were lower upto Rs.50. Better Medium BOPs were dearer, whilst others were firm. Better BOPFs were firm; the bottom irregularly lower. CTC BP1s were irregular and tended lower, whilst CTC PF1s were firm on last. (SD)