Jan-Nov. tea exports up by Rs. 14.2 billion

Sri Lanka’s tea exports saw both volume and value growthin the first 11 months of 2014, according to Forbes and Walker Tea Brokers.
It said cumulative exports for the period January-November 2014 totalled 297.5M/kgs vis-à-vis 290.6M/kgs of January-November 2013, thus showing a gain of 6.9M/kgs.
Total revenue of Rs. 194.2 billion has shown a gain of Rs. 14.2 billion vis-à-vis Rs. 180 billion of 2013.
Tea in packets/tea in bags have shown a growth year on year (YOY) whilst bulk tea show a decrease vis-à-vis January-November 2013.
Russia continues to be the largest importer of Sri Lankan tea, followed by Turkey, where a significant increase in imports are shown in 2014. Iran, Iraq and UAE are the other noteworthy importers.
Meanwhile, Libya too has shown a noteworthy gain in imports when compared to the corresponding period of 2014.
In the month of November, tea exports totalled 28.9M/kgs, showing a gain of 1.7M/kgs vis-à-vis 27.2M/kgs of November 2013. Tea in packets have shown a growth YOY whilst tea in bags haveremained static. Meanwhile, bulk tea showed a marginal decline YOY.
Total revenue of Rs. 18.01 billion showed a decline of Rs. 0.8 billion vis-à-vis November 2013.