July national sales average for tea strengthens

Wednesday, 5 August 2026 04:35 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

July NSA tops Rs. 1,176 driven largely by stronger low grown tea prices
YTD national average remains above 2025 in rupee terms, but lower in US dollar value
Medium grown teas continue to underperform, recording declines on both monthly and annual comparisons

The National Sales Average (NSA) of tea increased in July on both a month-on-month and year-on-year basis, according to Forbes and Walker Research.

Tea auction prices strengthened in July, with the national sales average rising above Rs. 1,176 per kilogram, supported by improved prices for High and Low Grown teas despite continued weakness in the Medium Grown category.

July...

Forbes and Walker Research said, the national tea sales average for July 2026 increased to Rs. 1,176.10 ($ 3.50) per kilogram from Rs. 1,153.49 ($ 3.45) recorded in June, reflecting a month-on-month gain of Rs. 22.61 and $ 0.05.

Compared with July 2025, the average improved by Rs. 48.50 from Rs. 1,127.60, although the US dollar equivalent declined by $ 0.24 due to exchange rate movements.

For the first seven months from January to July 2026, the national sales average stood at Rs. 1,164.50 ($ 3.63) per kilogram, compared with Rs. 1,153.07 ($ 3.87) during the corresponding period last year.

This represents a year-to-date (YTD) increase of Rs. 11.43 in local currency terms, while the dollar-denominated average remained $ 0.23 lower than a year earlier.

Among the three elevation categories, high grown teas posted a monthly improvement, with the average increasing by Rs. 12.70 and $0.02 over June. On a YoY, high grown teas recorded a Rs. 26.58 gain, although the average in US dollar terms declined by $ 0.28.

Medium grown teas remained the weakest-performing segment. The category recorded a Rs. 2.62 and $ 0.02 decline compared with June, while falling Rs. 27.96 and $ 0.42 against July last year.

In contrast, low grown teas continued to underpin the market, with the monthly average rising by Rs. 33.65 and $ 0.08 over June. Compared with July 2025, the category recorded the strongest annual improvement, increasing by Rs. 85.98, although the US dollar equivalent was $ 0.16 lower.

On a cumulative basis for 2026, high grown and low grown teas have maintained positive price variances in rupee terms compared with last year, while medium grown teas continue to record declines in both rupee and US dollar terms, highlighting the uneven performance across Sri Lanka’s tea-producing regions.