Offering at Colombo Tea Auction remains around 5.5 MnKgs for third week straight

The offering at the Colombo Tea Auction continued to remain around the 5.5 million kilogrammes for the third consecutive week and was met with fair general demand, Forbes and Walker Tea brokers said. 
The Ex-Estate offerings totalled 0.73 million kilogrammes. The overall quality of the teas continued to show no significant change, with the availability of the better teas continuing to be somewhat limited.  

The Westerns in the higher price bracket were mostly easier, following quality, whilst the improved teas in the Below Best category appreciated selectively, following relatively good value. The teas at the lower end continued to sell around last with minimal price fluctuations. The Nuwara Eliyas were sluggish, following relatively uninteresting quality. The Uva/Uda Pussellawas were mostly easier and here again, often following quality.      

The High and Medium Grown CTC teas witnessed a bearish sentiment, with a firm to easier trend in prices. The corresponding teas in the Low Grown category continued to sell well, particularly for the Select Best, whilst the other teas lost Rs.20-30 per kilogramme as the buyers followed quality fairly closely.  
There was less activity from the shippers to the continent and South Africa, whilst the shippers to Japan and the CIS continued to be 
fairly dominant. 
The Low Growns comprised of 2.4 million kilogrammes. The Leafy and Tippy categories met with less demand, whilst the Semi-Leafy category met with fair demand.
In the Leafy and Semi-Leafy catalogues, the well-made BOP1s were firm, whilst the balance declined. The OP1s, in general, were firm.  The Select Best OP/OPAs declined, whilst the Best sold around last levels. The Below Best and teas at the bottom were easier. The PEK/PEK1s, in general, were lower. A few Select Best FBOPs were firm, whilst the balance was lower. However, the cleaner teas at the bottom sold around last levels. The Select Best and Best FF1s declined. A few cleaner Below Best together with the cleaner teas at the bottom sold around last levels, whilst the balance eased. In the Premium catalogue, the Very Tippy teas met with good demand and were dearer. Best and the cleaner Below Best too appreciated, whilst the balance was lower, following quality.