Colombo Tea Auction sees only 4.5 MnKgs come under hammer this week

The Colombo Tea Auction this week saw a small volume of 4.5 million kilogrammes come under the hammer, following the Deepavali holiday period in early November. 
In the backdrop of lower volumes, there was improved activity and an appreciation in prices for most varieties of teas, Forbes and Walker Tea Brokers said.
The Ex-Estate offerings recorded a fairly significant decline and totalled 0.52 million kilogrammes, which were met with good demand. 
The BOPs continued to be a stronger feature for its limited availability and often appreciated by Rs.50-100 per kilogramme, in most instances. The better BOPFs too appreciated by Rs.20-40 per kilogramme and more for select invoices.  
The High and Medium Grown CTC teas too were often firm and dearer, whilst the Low Grown types, which commenced hesitantly, appreciated as the sale progressed. 
The shippers to the UK and Japan competed for the better liquoring teas, with selective interest from the shippers to the continent and South Africa, whilst the shippers to the CIS continued to participate more actively. 
The Low Growns comprised of 1.97 million kilogrammes. The Tippy and Premium catalogues met with improved demand, whilst the Leafy and Semi-Leafy catalogues met with fair demand and were firm. 

In the Leafy catalogues, the Select Best OP1s were easier, whilst the balance was firm to dearer. The BOP1s, together with the well-made OPs, in general, were firm. The Select Best OPAs declined, whilst the balance sold around last levels. The PEKs, in general, appreciated. A few high-priced PEK1s were firm to dearer, whilst the others were irregular and mostly lower. In the Tippy catalogues, the Select Best FBOPs were firm to selectively dearer, whilst the balance together with the FF1s, in general, appreciated.
In the Premium catalogues too, the very Tippy teas met with good demand and were substantially dearer, whilst the Best and clean leaf Below Best sorts appreciated to a lesser extent. The balance was irregular.