Colombo tea auctions attract fair demand

At this week’s Colombo tea auctions there was a total of 6.95 million kg on offer this week with a fair general demand.

There was a selective improvement in the quality offered from the Western slopes while the others showed no significant change, tea brokers said.
Low Growns meet with fair demand and the BOP1/ OP1s were firm on last week’s levels all-round, it was stated.
In the Premium Flowery catalogues select best long leaf and small leaf tippy teas held firm, while others appreciated in value.
There was fair general demand in the Ex-Estate catalogues, it was noted adding that the Better Western BOPs gained Rs.10 on average; others were fully firm.
Nuwara Eliyas were generally firm. Uda Pussellawa BOP/BOPF's were firm. Uvas - brighter invoices were Rs. 20-30 per kg dearer, whilst the others sold around last week's levels. 
Meanwhile, India is looking at importing teas in a bid to counter the surging prices of tea at the auctions. The shortage in supply of teas in India has led to this sudden surge in prices and resulted in traders wanting imports of teas from Kenya and Vietnam where there has been an overproduction. Production in Assam and West Bengal has dropped by about 30 per cent in the first half of this year, reports stated. (SD)