Colombo Tea Auction sees 5.1 MnKgs under hammer this week

The offerings at the Colombo Tea Auction totalled 5.1 million kilogrammes, which were met with good general demand, Forbes and Walker Tea Broker said.
The Ex-Estate offerings were maintained at 0.6 million kilogrammes. The overall quality of teas was irregular and barely maintained. 
The Best Westerns – a few select BOP/BOPF invoices, were firm and up to Rs.100 per kilogramme dearer, following special inquiry, whilst the others were barely steady. In the Below Best category, brighter BOPs appreciated by Rs.50 per kilogramme, whilst the others together with the teas at the lower end of the market were firm and up to Rs.50 per kilogramme dearer. The corresponding BOPFs declined by Rs.20-40 per kilogramme, whilst the clean leaf teas at the lower end of the market sold firm. 
The Nuwara Eliyas sold well in the backdrop of limited availability and a useful product. The Uda Pussellawa BOPs – the better sorts, were firm, whilst the others, which commenced firm, were irregularly easier towards the close. The corresponding BOPFs were generally firm. The Uva – select coloury BOPs, were up to Rs.100 per kilogramme dearer, whilst the others sold around last week’s levels. The corresponding BOPFs were up to Rs.50 per kilogramme lower.  
The High and Medium Grown CTC teas – BP1s, were generally firm, whilst the PF1s continued to sell around last with price fluctuations often reflecting quality variances. The corresponding Low Grown types, BP1s – select invoices, appreciated substantially, whilst the others were firm and dearer to a lesser extent. The PF1s – best available, were firm, whilst the others were irregular and declined by Rs.50 per kilogramme and more.   
There was selective interest from the shippers to the UK, Japan and continent for the limited availability of better teas, whilst there was improved activity from the shippers to the CIS. 
The Low Growns comprised of 2.3 million kilogrammes. The Tippy and Premium catalogues met with good demand, whilst the Leafy and Semi-Leafy catalogues met with fair demand. There was improved activity from the shippers to Iran, whilst there was selective purchasing from the shippers to Turkey and Russia.  
In the Leafy catalogues, the OP1s in general were firm, whilst the poorer teas at the bottom were lower. The well-made BOP1s appreciated, whilst the balance sold around last levels. The well-made OPs were firm, whilst the balance was lower, following quality. The Select Best and Best OPAs declined, whilst the balance sold around last levels. The PEKs, in general, were firm. A few high-priced PEK1s were firm, whilst the others declined.
In the Tippy catalogues, the FBOPs in general were dearer. The well-made FF1s together with the clean leaf Below Best and clean leaf teas at the bottom appreciated, whilst the balance was firm on last. 
In the Premium catalogues, the very Tippy teas together with the Best and Below Best varieties met with improved demand and were substantially dearer, whilst the balance too appreciated to a lesser extent.