June tea crop dips, but maintains strong 1H growth

Thursday, 24 July 2025 00:04 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Sri Lanka’s tea industry faced a notable production dip in June, with total output falling by 6.3% compared to the same month last year, according to Asia Siyaka Commodities PLC.

The drop was attributed primarily to irregular weather patterns affecting higher elevations, especially on the Eastern slopes.

Total production in June stood at 21.69 million kilograms (Mnkg), down from 23.15 Mnkg in June 2024.All elevation categories recorded year-on-year (YoY) declines, with High Growns dropping by 11.1% to 4.26 Mnkg, Medium Growns falling sharply by 14.8% to 3.97 Mnkg, and Low Growns easing 1.8% to 13.47 Mnkg.

Despite the June setback, cumulative tea production for the first half of 2025 reached 135.74 Mnkg, an increase of 6.1% from the 127.96 Mnkg reported during the same period last year.

The Low Grown sector led the recovery with 79.59 Mnkg produced year-to-date, up 3.9% from 2024. High Growns saw a more robust 9.6% increase, totalling 30.45 Mnkg, whilst Medium Growns recorded the highest YoY growth at 9%, reaching 25.7 Mnkg.

By category, Orthodox teas accounted for the majority of production, with 19.66 Mnkg in June, marking a 5.4% decline from 2024. CTC (Crush, Tear, Curl) teas dropped by 13.9% to 1.84 Mnkg, and the Green Tea output fell by 19.2% to 0.18 Mnkg.

Asia Siyaka highlighted that although weather-related disruptions curtailed June’s output, the industry’s overall performance in 2025 remains resilient. The gains have pushed production levels to heights last seen in 2021.

Looking ahead, industry experts will be closely monitoring July and August production figures to assess recovery momentum, especially given the traditional seasonal fluctuations during these months. Early signs show modest improvements, with High Growns rebounding to 5.43 Mnkg in July and Low Growns maintaining a strong output at 13.49 Mnkg.

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