Tea output dips in November

• Year-to-date production edges higher

Sri Lanka’s tea production slipped year-on-year in November 2025, even as cumulative output for the first eleven months of the year edged higher, data from the industry showed.

Tea output in November totalled 21.45 million kgs, down 1.28 million kgs from 22.73 million kg recorded in the same month of 2024, with all elevations reporting declines compared with a year earlier. However, production was higher than the 19.78 million kgs recorded in November 2023, reflecting an increase of 1.67 million kgs.

For the January–November period, cumulative tea production rose to 242.57 million kgs in 2025, up 1.69 million kgs from 240.88 million kgs a year earlier. All elevations recorded growth compared with the corresponding period of 2024. Cumulative output also surpassed levels seen in 2023, increasing by 6.29 million kgs from 236.28 million kgs. 

On a year-to-date basis, all elevations except the high-grown segment recorded positive variances compared with the same period in 2023, indicating a broader recovery in production despite month-on-month volatility.