2024 tea sale average climbs

• Month of December shows gains 

Sri Lanka’s national tea sales average for 2024 rose to Rs.1,225.17 (US $ 4.08) per kilogramme, marking an annual increase of Rs.53.88 (US $ 0.49), from Rs.1,171.29 (US $ 3.59) in 2023, the data from the Sri Lanka Tea Board showed.

The full-year increase was driven by the gains across all major tea-growing elevations. The high-grown teas averaged Rs.1,141.63 (US $ 3.80), up Rs.69.15 (US $ 0.52) from 2023, analysis by Forbes and Walker Tea Brokers showed.

The medium-grown teas rose to Rs.1,064.48 (US $ 3.55), an increase of Rs.52.13 (US $ 0.45), while the low-grown teas, which make up the bulk of Sri Lanka’s exports, climbed to Rs.1,304.48 (US $ 4.34), up Rs.52.23 (US $ 0.51).

For December 2024, the national sale average stood at Rs.1,184.82 (US $ 4.08) per kilogramme, rising by Rs.47.60 (US $ 0.17) from November. On a year-on-year basis, December recorded a marginal decline of Rs.1.59, from Rs.1,186.41 in December 2023, though the dollar-denominated value rose by US $ 0.43, due to the currency fluctuations.

Forbes and Walker Tea Brokers noted that all regions recorded positive variances in both rupee and dollar terms for the full-year compared to 2023.