Low Grown lifts Oct., tea average to 2026 high

The national tea sale average climbed to its highest monthly level so far this year in October, lifted by Low Grown teas, but the average in US dollars fell from a year earlier as the rupee weakened against the dollar.

The national sale average for October 2026 was Rs. 1,217.46 a kilo, Rs. 40.32 or 3.43% higher than October 2025 and Rs. 14.72 above September 2026, John Keells PLC said in its Market Insights report on National Tea Sale Averages, issued on Saturday. The report is based on Sri Lanka Tea Board data and Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) exchange rates.

Low Grown teas drove the increase. Their average rose by Rs. 67.08 or 5.44% to Rs. 1,299.26 a kilo. The High Grown average fell 1.14% to Rs. 1,134.13 and the Medium Grown average dropped 2.50% to Rs. 1,005.23. Low Grown teas also made up a larger share of the tea sold, at 63.27% against 60.56% in October 2025. According to the report, that change in mix accounts for about Rs. 4.75 of the Rs. 40.32 increase in the national average.

The gains did not hold in dollar terms. The national average was $ 3.67 a kilo, down $ 0.21 or 5.41% from October 2025 and down $ 0.32 or 8.02% from October 2024. Every elevation average was lower in US dollars than a year earlier. Over the same period, the rupee depreciated by 8.54% against the dollar, from Rs. 303.13 to Rs. 331.42, based on CBSL average rates. Compared with September 2026, the dollar average rose by $ 0.02 or 0.55% from $ 3.65.

Within the elevations, the regions moved in opposite directions. The Uva High average rose 3.25% to Rs. 1,095.57 a kilo and Uva Medium gained 2.72% to Rs. 1,100.73. In contrast, Western High fell 1.69% to Rs. 1,187.44 and Western Medium dropped 4.92% to Rs. 976.55. Green tea averaged Rs. 1,291.01, up 2.38%.

The method of manufacture produced an even sharper split. Orthodox teas, made by the traditional process of rolling the leaf, averaged Rs. 1,274.92 a kilo, up 5.04%. Low Grown orthodox led with Rs. 1,345.17, Rs. 79.67 or 6.30% higher. CTC teas, machine-processed by the crush, tear and curl method into small granules mostly used in tea bags, averaged Rs. 946.74, down 7.17%. The CTC average fell at every elevation: 6.41% at High Grown to Rs. 1,064.37, 8.33% at Medium Grown to Rs. 894.34 and 7.18% at Low Grown to Rs. 936.83.

Volumes sold in October totalled 19.13 MnKg, down 1.51% from 19.43 MnKg. Medium Grown fell the most, down 12.49% to 3.14 MnKg, and High Grown declined 4.53% to 3.89 MnKg. Low Grown rose 2.90% to 12.11 MnKg.

For the first 10 months, the national average was Rs. 1,174.47 a kilo, up Rs. 12.48 or 1.07% from Rs. 1,161.99 in January to October 2025, but below Rs. 1,236.92 for the same period of 2024. The High Grown average rose 1.69% to Rs. 1,107.70 and Low Grown increased 1.92% to Rs. 1,254.71. Medium Grown was the only one of the three main elevations with a lower average, down 4.25% to Rs. 979.89. The report added that every elevation average is still below January to October 2024.

The year-to-date regional pattern is the reverse of October’s. Western High rose 3.63% to Rs. 1,168.03 a kilo while Uva High slipped 0.49% to Rs. 1,045.84. Western Medium fell the most, by 5.64% to Rs. 954.94.

In dollar terms, the January to October average was $ 3.63 a kilo, down $ 0.25 or 6.44% from a year earlier, while the rupee depreciated 7.47%, from Rs. 299.47 to Rs. 323.66 per dollar.

The orthodox average for the period rose 1.76% to Rs. 1,219.86 a kilo, while CTC fell 4.32% to Rs. 944.24, lower at High, Medium and Low Grown. The quantity sold in the first 10 months fell by 12.24 MnKg or 5.46% to 212.15 MnKg, with every elevation lower. Medium Grown fell the most, by 10.36% to 37.38 MnKg.