Colombo tea auction sees orthodox prices ease as unsold lots mount

This week’s auction offerings totalled 5.5 million kilogrammes (M/Kgs), the lowest in five weeks of 6.0-plus M/Kgs auctions. 
The Large Leaf and Semi-Leafy type teas continued to sell well, whilst the Orthodox/Rotovane teas in general continued to encounter a bearish market sentiment. 
The Ex-Estate offerings comprised of 0.9 M/Kgs, marginally down from the previous week’s 1.0 M/Kgs. The overall quality of teas showed no significant change.  
The teas from the Western slopes, the Best available BOPs – a few select invoices, sold around last, whilst the others were substantially easier and mostly unsold, due to a lack of suitable bids. The corresponding BOPFs, where the quality was maintained, were firm and Rs.20-40 per kilogramme dearer, whilst the others were irregular and easier by a similar margin. 
In the Below Best category too, the BOPs were mostly unsold, due to a lack of suitable bids, whilst the teas at the lower end of the market continued to sell with a price drop of Rs.20-40 per kilogramme.
The corresponding BOPFs were irregular, whilst here again, the teas at the lower end of the market continued to sell around last week’s levels. 
The Nuwara Eliyas continued to be most disappointing, where a majority of the teas remained unsold without a bid, in most instances.  The Uda Pussellawa BOP/BOPFs were substantially easier, with a greater majority of the teas remaining unsold. The Uva BOP/BOPFs declined by Rs.20-40 per kilogramme.  
The High and Medium Grown CTC teas continued to be weak, though a few select invoices gathered momentum and sold at marginally higher levels to last. The corresponding Low Grown types sold well at a firm to dearer rate in most instances. 
Less activity was seen from the shippers to the UK and Europe. Selective buying was seen from Japan, China and South Africa, whilst the shippers to the Middle East and CIS absorbed a fair weight of the offerings at firm to slightly easier levels. 
The Low Growns totalled approximately 1.8 M/Kgs. Fair demand was witnessed in the Leafy, Semi-Leafy and Premium categories, whilst the Tippy/Small Leaf category met with good demand. 
In the Leafy and Semi-Leafy catalogues, a few high-priced BOP1s were dearer, whilst the balance sold at last levels. The teas at the lower end were easier. The OP1s in general were dearer, whilst the teas at the bottom declined. 
The well-made OPs together with a selection of high-priced OPAs appreciated, whilst the balance was firm. The high-priced PEKs were easier, whilst the balance together with the PEK1s sold around last. In the Tippy catalogue, the Select Best FBOPs sold at last levels, whilst the balance was firm to dearer. However, the mixed varieties were easier. The FF1s, in general, appreciated.
In the Premium catalogue, Very Tippy teas were irregular following quality, whilst the balance were easier.