"Tea Market Recap: Brewing Trends and Global Flavors in Orthodox Tea - Insights & Trends"

Tea Market Report Summary: Key Points

Colombo Auction:

• Offered 5.06 Mn Kgs of tea, with fair demand observed.

• Best BOPs remained stable, while others saw slight decreases.

• Nuwara Eliya BOPs had no offerings, BOPFs remained unsold.

• Uva BOP/BOPFs decreased, OP1's varied, with some firm and others gaining.

• Various grades like FBOPs, FF1s, and OP/OPAs experienced fluctuations in pricing.

• Overall, certain teas saw price increases, while others remained steady or decreased marginally.

District Conditions:

• All planting districts except Nuwara Eliya experienced bright mornings and evening showers.

• Crop intake remained steady across all districts.

Export Trends:

• November exports increased by 2.18 m/kgs compared to the previous year.

• Year-to-date exports, however, showed a decrease of 9.73 m/kgs compared to 2022.

International Markets:

• Russia exhibited increased demand, while the Middle East operated consistently.

• Jakarta auction had good demand, with 5% unsold.

• Java/Sumatra orthodox tea maintained firm to dearer pricing.

• Kolkata auction met good demand with varied rates among different tea types.

Regional Weather and Plantation Activities:

• Java experienced dry, hot conditions despite the rainy season; Sumatra received regular rains.

• Kolkata region witnessed winter rains, promising for future crops.

• Pruning activities neared completion with factories closing; final teas to be shipped soon.