Sri Lanka’s September tea production drops to 22-year low

Tea production in September had dropped to 18.7 million kg, the lowest level since 2001 when a figure of 17.2 million kg was recorded. High Growns dropped 10.5 per cent to 4.2 million kg. Mediums lost 13 per cent from 3.5 million kg to 3 million kg this year. Low Growns were down 12 per cent from 12.9 million kg to 11.4 million kg in 2023.
 

Total tea production for the year reached 193.2 million kg by September, nominally higher than last year's low, according to Asia Siyaka Brokers report.
High Growns at 45 million kg and Mediums at 32 million kg are both up year on year from 2022. Low Growns however have declined nominally from 117.9 million kg to 116 million kg.
However, September exports, up by 8 per cent compared to last year reaching 23.1 million kg as against 21.5 million kg in 2022. Total exports for the year are at a very low 181.4 million kg, down 11 million kg or 6 per cent drop from last year's quantity of 192.6 million kg in the review period. This is largely due to poor export performance during the period January - April this year, following low tea production compared with the same period last year.
Sri Lanka earned approximately US$991.8 million from exports in September this year with earnings reaching $937 million on export volume of 192 million kg. This converts to an approximate FOB value of $5.47 per kg compared with $4.87 per kg for the same period last year.
Asia Siyaka also noted that Iraq tops the list of destinations with a quantity of 25.8 million kg sharply lower by 27 per cent on last year's figure of 35.3 million kg. Shipments to and through Turkiye have leaped to 23.5 million kg, 118 per cent more than 10.7 million kg last year.
 

Russian is at 17.7 million kg with little change year on year. UAE follows with a quantity of 13.1 million kg down by 21 per cent on 16.7 million kg a year ago. Exports to China have picked up and reached 9 million kg against 8.6 million kg last year. Volumes to Libya and Azerbaijan declined by 23 per cent and 25 per cent; however, Chile remained steady with exports at 5.7 million kg. But Syrian imports have increased 7 per cent. Saudi Arabia makes up the top 10 list with imports that have increased 8 per cent from 4.6 million kg to 5 million kg this year.