Merry March crop makes 1Q tea output positive

A good performance in March has enabled the country to end the first quarter with a positive growth in tea output.


Lanka Commodity Brokers Ltd. said yesterday Sri Lanka in March recorded a crop of 33.2 million kilos, up by 58% over the 21 million kilos produced in the corresponding month of last year.

The largest gain of six million kilos month-on-month was from the Low Grown category, followed by the High and Medium elevations with surpluses of 3.7 million kilos and 2.4 million kilos respectively.

In February tea crop dipped by near 8% to 21.6 million kilos bringing the first two months production to 42.6 million kilos, lower by 9.3 million kilos or 18% over the corresponding period of 2010.

However, the high March crop boosted the first quarter figure to 76.2 million kilos which according to Lanka Commodity Brokers was inclusive of the adjustments made for late returns received from factories in respect of January and February. The 2011 first quarter figure was 2.2 million kilos or a welcome 3% higher.

Low grown crop amounted to 45.1 million, up by 1 million kilos, whilst High Grown was 18.85 million kilos, up 0.93 million kilos and Medium Grown was 12.1 million, up marginally by 0.26 million kilos over the first quarter of 2010.

“Favourable cropping conditions have prevailed over all three elevations resulting in a surge in crop. In March plantations received bright and sunny mornings and evening showers that are ideal for growth,” Lanka Commodity Brokers Director Jehan Algama said.

source - www.ft.lk