Colombo Tea Auction sees 5 MnKgs on offer this week

A total of 5.0 million kilogrammes was on offer this week at the Colombo Tea Auction, which was met with good general demand. 
The leafy teas were often firm and easier. The Small Leaf liquoring types – Better teas, continued to sell well, whilst the others were often irregular, Forbes and Walker Tea Brokers said.
The Ex-Estate offerings were marginally lower to last and totalled 0.7 million kilogrammes. The overall quality of teas, though lower to last, still had on offer a fair selection of reasonably bright teas, particularly from the Western and Nuwara Eliya planting districts. 

The Best Western BOP/BOPFs sold at firm to dearer rates, with select invoices appreciating, following special inquiry. In the Below Best category, the select neat leaf coloury BOPs were firm and up to Rs.50 per kilogramme dearer, whilst the others were lower by a similar margin. The Plainer BOPs declined by Rs.50 per kilogramme and more for the poor leaf teas. 
The corresponding BOPFs in the Below Best category – Neat leaf/bright liquoring invoices, were firm and Rs.20-30 per kilogramme dearer, whilst the others together with the Plainer sorts were irregular. The Nuwara Eliya BOP/BOPFs were irregular following quality. The Uda Pussellawa BOPs declined by Rs.50 per kilogramme and at times more, whilst the corresponding BOPFs, which were mostly unsold at the commencement, due to a lack of suitable bids, appreciated to close around last week’s levels. The Uva – Neat leaf BOPs, were firm and Rs.20-40 per kilogramme easier, whilst the others were neglected. The corresponding BOPFs – Select high-priced teas of last week, declined by up to Rs.100 per kilogramme, whilst the others were mostly firm.    
The High and Medium Grown CTCs – Better sorts, were generally firm, whilst the others were often irregular following quality. The corresponding Low Grown types – BP1s, were firm and dearer, whilst the PF1s gained by up to Rs.50 per kilogramme. 
The Low Growns comprised of 1.94 million kilogrammes and all categories met with fair demand. The shippers to the CIS and Turkey were active, in general.   
In the Leafy catalogues, the Select Best BOP1s were easier, whilst the balance sold around last levels. The OP1s, in general, were lower. Few Select Best OP/OPAs were firm, whilst the balance eased. The PEKs sold around last levels, whilst the PEK1s appreciated.

In the Tippy catalogues, the well-made FBOPs together with the clean leaf Below Best and the clean leaf teas at the bottom were firm. The balance was easier, following quality. The well-made FF1s were firm to easier, whilst the clean leaf Below Best and the clean leaf teas at the bottom sold around last levels. The balance was lower.

In the Premium catalogues, the very Tippy teas met with fair demand, whilst the Best and Below Best were easier. However, the leafier varieties were substantially lower and at times unsellable, due to a lack of suitable bids.