Global Tea Market Overview – Week 31

🇰🇪 Kenya – Firm Demand Despite Reduced Volume

The Mombasa auction offered 186,100 packages (down from 206K last week), with a 43% unsold rate and an average price of USD 1.93/kg (down 1 cent). Dust grades performed relatively better, buoyed by strong Egyptian demand.

• BP1s (East of Rift): Flavory types held value, others irregularly steady

• BP1s (West of Rift): Quality types sold firm; poor grades neglected

• PF1s: Quality types steady to easier; medium and plainer types met selective demand

• Dust Grades: Stronger activity for PDs, especially from Egypt; D1s steady to slightly easier

• Key Buyers: Pakistan, Egypt, Yemen, UK, Russia; Sudan remains absent

• Weather: Cloudy mornings, afternoon showers; cooler temperatures; reduced crop

📉 Outlook: Fresh tea availability is falling, supporting bottom prices. Market expected to strengthen gradually.

🇲🇼 Malawi – Continued Good Demand

Demand remained strong across most grades with firm to dearer trends:

• BP1: Strong demand, fully firm to 5 USC dearer

• PDs: Selective demand, 10–12 USC below valuation

• D1s: Good demand, steady to slightly easier

• Offgrades: Mixed; better types dearer, poor types declined

• Weather: Intermittent rainfall under Chiperoni conditions

• Outlook: Crop intakes seasonally low; firm to dearer tone

🌍 Other African Markets

• Tanzania: Limited offerings; steady demand at irregular prices

• Burundi: Improved availability, but weak demand due to quality and price constraints

• Rwanda: Seasonal quality peak; reduced BP1 interest

• Uganda: Improved demand; mixed leaf quality with brownish appearance

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka – Strong Demand Amid Lower Supply

The Colombo auction recorded 5.7 million kg in offerings. Despite easing in some Ex-Estate prices, the market was generally bullish:

• BOP/BOPF: BOPs down by USC 10; BOPF dropped by 10–18

• Uva: BOP up by USC 15; BOPF down by USC 10

• CTC: Low grown PF1s steady; better BP1s dearer by USC 6

• Leafy Grades: OP1 eased, BOP1s maintained, PEK1s gained up to USC 15

• Premiums: Long tip teas dearer by USC 10

• Dusts: High-grown Dusts dearer by USC 5–10

🇮🇳 India – Fair Demand Across Regions

• North India:

  • Orthodox leaf: Strong demand, good whole leaves firm to dearer

  • CTC leaf & dust: Fair demand, some easing for non-premium types

• South India:

  • CTC Dust: Good liquoring teas firm to dearer

  • Leaf Orthodox: Whole leaf firm to easier; fannings lower

• Buyers: Strong support from exporters, local packers, and Middle Eastern buyers

• Production Trends:

  • North India: May production up 35%, cumulative +26%

  • South India: May +92%, cumulative +28%

  • Sri Lanka: June down 6%, YTD +6%

  • Kenya: YTD down 15%

  • Malawi: June down 1%, YTD down 6%

🇮🇩 Indonesia – Fair Demand

• Offerings: 4,500 packages with 19% unsold

• Performance: Steady to firm across Java/Sumatra Orthodox & CTC

• Buyers: Dominated by exporters; local packers active

• Weather: Drier conditions emerging; short rains continue

• Outlook: August offerings to remain 30% below 2024

📊 Global Tea Data Highlights

• Production (Jan–Jun 2025 vs 2024):

  • Kenya: ↓15%

  • Sri Lanka: ↑6%

  • India: ↑26–28%

  • Malawi: ↓6%

• Auction Offerings (Week 31):

  • Mombasa: 186,100

  • Blantyre: 3,660

  • Colombo: 11,599

  • Guwahati: 182,953

  • Kolkata: 161,301

  • Jakarta: 4,740