Erratic weather may deter plans to produce 300 mln kg tea in 2017

Erratic weather patterns are likely to dampen state plans to achieve Sri Lankan tea production targets of 300 million kg by the end of this year.
“Unless we get a good crop in the next four to five months it would not be possible to achieve 300 million kg by the end of this year,” Hayleys Plantations Managing Director Roshan Rajadurai told TimesOnline on Wednesday.
He noted that the erratic weather patterns over the past few months and the sudden rains were not favourable on the estates.
Sri Lanka Tea Board (SLTB) Chairman Rohan Pethiyagoda said he expects the final production figures for the end of this year to reach 300 million kg.
Annual crop production in 2015 was 328.8 million kg, slipping to 292.6 million kg last year which was considered a particularly bad year for tea with prices and yields being severely impacted.
Statistics released by Asia Siyaka Commodities indicated that the production of High Grown teas had dipped marginally by 0.6 per cent to 40 million kg for the period January to July this year compared to the same period in 2016.
Medium Growns had picked up 1.1 per cent for the same period with 27.9 million kg produced this year compared to 27.6 million kg made from January to July in 2016.
Low Growns were up by 5.9 per cent during this period at 113.5 million kg this year compared to the same eighth month period last year which was at 107.2 million kg. (Sunimalee)