Good demand for low growns this week: Forbes & Walker Tea Market Report

This week’s total Auction quantities moved up further and totalled a 6.5 M/kgs. Low Grown’s continued to meet with good demand whilst High and Medium Grown small leaf teas met with fair demand at easier rates.

Ex-Estate offerings were similar to last and totalled a 1.1M/kgs. Overall quality of teas tend to show a decline over last and consequently combined with the increased volumes on offer from now on placed downward pressure on prices at today’s Auction.

Best Western BOP’s declined Rs. 20/- per kg whilst the corresponding BOPF’s declined Rs. 20-40/- per kg. In the below best category brighter BOP’s declined Rs. 10-20/- per kg whilst the others eased further.

Corresponding BOPF’s which recorded a drop of Rs. 20-30/- per kg at the commencement of the sale eased up to Rs. 40/- per kg by the close. Plainer BOP’s declined Rs. 10-20/- per kg whilst the corresponding BOPF’s which were up to Rs. 20/- per kg easier at the commencement declined up to Rs. 30/- per kg and more by the close.

Nuwara Eliya BOP’s declined Rs. 10-20/- per kg in most instances whilst the corresponding BOPF’s - few select invoices were firm and tended dearer following special inquiry whilst the majority declined by Rs. 20/- per kg. Udapussellawa BOP’s declined Rs. 20-30/- per kg and more for the poorer sorts.

Uva’s were Up to Rs. 20/- per kg easier whilst the corresponding BOPF’s too, eased up to Rs. 20/- per kg. CTC BP1’s were often firm and up to Rs. 10/- per kg dearer whilst the corresponding PF’s declined up to Rs. 10/- per kg with the high priced Low Grown types recording a decline of Rs. 30-40/- per kg.

Low Growns totalled 2.7 M/kgs in the Leafy/Tippy catalogues this week. There was good general demand. In the Leafy catalogues BOP1’s were fully firm to selectively dearer whilst OP1’s gained Rs.10 to15 per kg and more particularly for the better sorts.

Better OP/OPA’s were firm to irregularly dearer whilst others gained Rs.10 to 15 per kg. Select best PEK1’s together with the bolder PEK’s were irregular whilst others were fully firm to dearer. In the Tippy catalogues too, select best FBOP/FF1’s were firm. Others were barely steady where quality was not maintained.

Teas at the lower end were however fully firm to dearer. In the Premium catalogues too, a select range of teas gained whilst others were irregular following quality. There was good demand from shippers to CIS, Turkey, Dubai, Iraq, Libya, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.