Offering improves marginally at Colombo Tea Auction this week

The Colombo Tea Auction saw marginally higher offering this week, with quantities totalling 5.5 MnKgs. 

The Low Grown/Large Leaf teas met with fair demand, whilst the Semi Leafy types weakened further this week, particularly as the sale progressed, resulting in an increased volume of unsold teas. The High and Medium Small Leaf liquoring teas sold well mostly at firm rates, with the exception of the Dust1 grade, which declined in value.  
The Ex-Estate offerings totalled 0.8 MnKgs. There was good demand, which perhaps emanates on account of the improved quality in offerings. 

The Western High Grown BOP/BOPFs were mostly firm and the slight price fluctuations were often reflective of quality. The Nuwara Eliya BOPs were mostly firm, whilst the corresponding BOPFs had hardly any offerings. The Uda Pussellawas were barely maintained and irregular, following quality. The Uva – BOPs were firm and irregular, following quality. The corresponding BOPFs – Select high priced teas of last week declined Rs.50-100 per kg, whilst the others were mostly firm. 

The High and Medium CTCs – BP1s had hardly any offerings. The PF1s – Select high priced teas declined up to Rs.200 per kg, whilst the others were firm and lower to a lesser extent. The Low Grown varieties, the BP1s – Best available declined up to Rs.100 per kg, whilst the others sold around last week’s levels. The PF1s were mostly firm, whilst the poorer sort met with improved interest. 

The Low Growns comprised of 2.2 MnKgs in the Leafy/Semi Leafy and Tippy catalogues. 

The Leafy and Semi Leafy grades met with selective demand and remained firm. However, the Tippy teas continued to decline further this week and particularly as the sale progressed, on account of less demand from shippers to Iran. The unsold volumes in this category too have increased quite significantly this week.  

In the Leafy and Semi Leafy catalogues, a few select Best BOP1/OP1s together with a range of improved Below Best varieties maintained, whilst the others were barely steady. The teas at the lower end maintained. The well-made OP/OPAs in general met with improved demand, whilst the prices were barely steady for others where quality was not maintained. 

The teas at the lower end were fully firm. The PEK/PEK1s, in general, were fully firm to selectively dearer, following quality.

In the Tippy catalogues, the FBOPs in general were lower. The Select Best and Best FF1s declined. However, a few cleaner Below Best sold around last levels, whilst all others eased. In the Premium catalogues, a selection of very Tippy teas maintained, whilst the balance together with Best declined substantially. The Below Best and teas at the bottom too declined.