Local tea creates history in Russia

Tuesday, 20 December 2011 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Sri Lanka Tea Board Director Promotion Hasitha De Alwis yesterday said that the charity tea auction held in Russia featuring the 23 winning teas of the ‘Ceylon Speciality Estate Tea of the Year’ fetched US$ 15,710 (Rs. 1.7 million)

“This is a historical record. We have never fetched such a price,” he added, revealing that 115 kilos of tea were sold at the auction.

When worked out it was observed that the tea had sold for an average price of Rs. 15,000 per kilo.

The highest bid was from Mlesna Russia at US$ 6,000 for a five kilo lot, which won the gold award under the Ruhuna region, he said. “This was from the FBOPF Extra special from the ‘Tea Bank’ estate mark.”

Mlesna won six lots at the auction. Winners of the bids were given the teas delivered in special 500gm metal cans in gold, silver and red, corresponding with the winner or runner up.

The quantity offered at the auction was limited to five kgs of each winning tea under the request of Russian body for tea and coffee, Rusteacoffee, which did not endorse selling large volumes, De Alwis said.