Tea production in February has increased by 23% from a year earlier boosted by a five-year high record crop from low growns.

Asia Siyaka Commodities quoting Sri Lanka Tea Board data said preliminary tea production in February was 22.3 million kilos as against last year’s drought impacted crop of 18.2 million kilos.

“The recovery was led by the low growns that rose sharply to 14.2 million kilos from 10.2 million kilos in 2020. This is the highest low grown figure since 2015,” Asia Siyaka said. 

It said high grown crop of 4.5 million kilos and mid growns figure of 3.5 million kilos in February 2021 were mostly flat in comparison to a year ago.

“Better weather conditions coupled with greater availability and application of fertiliser enabled February production to improve,” Asia Siyaka said. 

Tea production in the first two months of 2021 rose by 13% to 45.5 million kilos from a year earlier.

All of the gains recorded for the period have come from the low growns who have achieved 29.1 million kilos up by 23.6% in 2020. 

Forbes and Walker Tea Brokers said CTC cumulative production, January-February 2021 totalled 4.12 million kilos down by 0.26 million from a year earlier.

Tea fetches highest-ever FOB value of Rs. 940.09 per kilo