This week's sale at Colombo, the main marketplace for Ceylon tea, put roughly 5.2 million kg under the hammer, a marginal rise on the previous week, according to Sri Lanka's Daily Mirror. Ex-Estate offerings went the other way, slipping to 0.66 million kg from 0.70 million, although overall quality improved slightly.
Demand was described as generally good but selective. Well-made black teas frequently fetched a premium, while secondary sorts struggled to attract bids. Low Grown teas, from the low-elevation gardens in the south of the island, made up about 2.4 million kg of the catalogue; there, premium tippy teas with golden buds generally gained, while mid-quality lots eased.
The takeaway mirrors a longer-running pattern at Colombo: buyers will pay for carefully made leaf, but stay cautious on everyday grades.
Source: Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka)