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A total of 6.4 million kg was on offer at this week's tea auction which comprised 0.97 million kg Ex Estate teas. Next week too a similar quantity will be on offer and the Ex Estate component of a little over one million kg comprises generally a better quality teas, a John Keells Ltd tea report said.

Overseas inquiry was still widespread for Western High Grown teas that had fairly good liquoring merit. The Select Best enjoyed good competition and prices often advanced sharply. Good BOPFs which were already at attractive levels, often weakened by a few rupees early in the sale but there was a frenzy of bidding later in the sale, with prices, increasing by leaps and bounds. This resulted in nine invoices of BOPFs obtaining Rs. 250 or more with the top price for Bridwell at Rs. 295.

The top price for BOP was for Loinorn at Rs. 245. The feature of BOPFs outselling the BOPs at the top end of the market during the Western Quality Season is an unusual phenomena. This could be attributed to the level of product quality, which whilst being reasonable has certainly not been up to expectation, sans seasonal character. Around 32 BOPs and around 54 BOPFs from the Western High Grown Region sold above Rs. 200, which is therefore, the largest selection todate. The large leaf varieties such as Pekoes and FBOPs that had good merit in the cup, again received good prices although below the record levels witnessed during the past couple of sales.

In the Below Best category too, BOPFs are now obtaining a fair premium over the BOP. In the Fair Average Quality category, prices continued to be weak, with the Stalky BOPs falling below Rs. 140, and the ordinary BOPFs barely above Rs. 150.

The Low Grown average for last week's sale dropped Rs. 3.10 from the previous Auction to Rs. 146.51. This week the Main Grades were well absorbed with the bulk of the offerings in the Best and the Below Best category other than Pekoes, recording firm to dearer rates.

The poorer varieties however, continued to be neglected. Wet weather was experienced last week throughout the island, and the weather brightened up over the weekend. However, once again rain has been experienced on Wednesday. This may well mean that, no further improvement to product quality may be witnessed, as we shortly end the first quarter. As inter-monsoonal rains are likely to follow, one could count on one hand the number of Western teas that had seasonal character and that too at the lower end of the scale.

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Copyright 2001 The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd.
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