Tea exports dip to 257 Mnkg in November

Sri Lanka tea exports recorded a dip as it shipped 257 Mnkg by end November 2018.

This is the lowest since 248 Mnkg was exported during the period January – November 1999. Last year the country exported 265 Mnkg, whilst the highest recorded for this eleven month period was 300 Mnkg achieved back in 2006 according to Siyaka Research.

In November a quantity of 21.3 Mnkg was shipped compared with 23.3 Mnkg in October and 25.6 Mnkg in September.

The best Sri Lanka has done in December has been 30.9 Mnkg in 2012 but over the past three years based on lower tea production exports have been in the region of 23.9 to 25.4 Mnkg. If a quantity of 24 Mngk is recorded for December the total for the year 2018 will be around 281 Mnkg, compared with 288 shipped during the two previous years and a highest ever 327 Mnkg achieved in 2014.

Despite the continual depreciation of Sri Lanka rupee against US Dollar, rupee earnings from exports for the eleven months ending November 2018 have declined to Rs. 210.6 bln from Rs. 213.8 bln the year before. This converts to an approximate USD $ 1.3 bln down 8% on last year’s figure of $ 1.4 bln. Based on a higher unit value and quantity in 2017, Sri Lanka went on to earn $ 1.52 bln.

Shipments of Tea Bags have been a high 19.8 Mnkg (8%) compared with 20 Mnkg (8%) last year. Instant and Green Tea exports combine to a total of 6 Mnkg.

Russia / CIS 43.9 Mnkg leads with absorption of 17% of all exports is sharply down on last year’s figure of 49.2 Mnkg, (19%). Iraq has grown from 31Mnkg to 35 Mnkg. Turkey follows at 32 Mnkg compared with 35 Mnkg a year ago. Direct shipments to Iran have also dipped to 22.1 Mnkg from 24.9 Mnkg during January – November 2017.

High Grown November production of 4.8 Mnkg hampered by bad weather and work stoppages is recorded as the lowest for the month over the last two decades.

Cumulative production of 277.7 Mnkg is considerably lower than 283.7 Mnkg recorded in 2017with High Growns at 59.6 Mnkg is almost flat on last year. Mid Grown figure of 43.2 Mnkg is ahead of 2017 and Low Growns recorded as 174.8 is lower 6.8 Mnkg YoY.