Tea crop falls in July, YTD production up

Wednesday, 20 August 2025 11:57 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

July tea production down by 1.83 m kilos to 21.36 m kilos
Production falls at all elevation levels except Low Grown compared to July 2024
Jan.-July crop up by 5.97 m kilos to 157.12 m kilos

Sri Lanka’s tea production in July 2025 registered a drop, though cumulative output for the year remains ahead of the past two years, underscoring mixed fortunes for the country’s top agricultural export.

Data analysed by Forbes and Walker Research, the production in July stood at 21.36 million kilograms, down 1.83 million kilos from 23.19 million kilos in July 2024.

All elevations, except the Low Grown, which registered a marginal 1.11% year-on-year (YoY) increase, recorded declines compared to last year. When measured against 21.57 million kilos in July 2023, the latest figure represents a more modest decline of 0.21 million kilos.

Despite the monthly setback, cumulative production for the first seven months of 2025 paints a more positive picture. Total output from January to July 2025 reached 157.12 million kilos, marking an increase of 5.97 million kilos over the 151.15 million kilos produced in the same period of 2024.

Compared with 156.23 million kilos in the corresponding period of 2023, this year’s cumulative figure reflects a smaller gain of 0.89 million kilos.

Breaking down performance by elevation, all sectors recorded 3.95% year-to-date (YTD) gains compared to 2024. However, against the 2023 baseline, the Medium Grown elevation improved by and green tea registered positive variances, while the High Grown and Low Grown elevations posted declines.