Sri Lanka earned roughly US$1.083 billion from tea exports in the first nine months of 2026, according to a Siyaka Research analysis of customs data. That is below the $1.163 billion recorded over the same period last year, and shipped volume slipped 4% to 189.4 million kg. In rupee terms, however, earnings edged up to Rs. 350 billion, largely because the currency weakened against the dollar.
The bigger story is where the tea is going. Shipments to and through Turkey rose 134% to 35.7 million kg, a shift analysts link to instability in the Middle East. Iraq, by contrast, took just 18.4 million kg, down from 30 million kg, while Russia held steady at 16.9 million kg.
Value-added products such as packaged teas, tea bags and instant tea now account for around 58% of exports, a sign that Ceylon black tea is increasingly sold finished rather than in bulk.
Source: Daily FT (Sri Lanka)