Category: Agriculture

GUWAHATI, India, Sept 1, 2006 (AFP) – India, the world’s largest tea producer, will boost tea imports to cover growing domestic demand despite an expected production shortfall blamed on a heat wave, officials said Friday. This year, the country is likely to increase tea imports to 25 million kilograms (55 million pounds) from last year’s […]

September 01, 2006 (LBO) – James Finalys & Company says its export revenues fell for the six months to June as the firm shipped more low value added bulk tea to overseas buyers. Finlays, one of Sri Lanka’s top tea exporters, also felt the pinch of rising prices at weekly tea auctions, as its island’s key […]

August 31, 2006 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s tea output dipped 5.7 percent for the seven months to July but earned 50.89 million rupees by shipping the brew to overseas buyers over the same period last year, a commodity broker said. Production of Kenya’s largest export crept up 2.9 million kilos to 23.7 million kilos in […]

LONDON, Aug 25, 2006 (AFP) – Crude oil prices rebounded, while nickel hit a historic peak and coffee futures in London reached their highest level in seven years in a volatile trading week for commodities. On Friday, the Commodities Research Bureau’s index of 17 commodities finished at 336.20 points, up from 330.62 points the previous […]

August 24, 2006 (LBO) – Sri Lanka shipped a record 185.9 million kilos of tea to overseas buyers for the seven months to July, a commodity broker said Thursday. However, a strike at the Colombo port in July crimped export targets, with the island shipping 27.4 million kilos as against 28.0 million over the corresponding period […]

August 22, 2006 (LBO) – Rubber prices in Sri Lanka have been dropping since July, following stiff competition from regional producers like Thailand and India. “Thailand being one of the biggest suppliers of rubber in the region has had better volumes from their crops, resulting in a drop in Sri Lanka’s rubber price,” Damitha Perera, […]

LONDON, Aug 18, 2006 (AFP) – Crude futures plunged this week, in line with many commodity prices, amid evidence of an economic slowdown in the United States and a lowering of tensions in the Middle East, analysts said. But nickel prices hit a fresh historic record on keen demand, while coffee soared on concerns over […]

August 16 (LBO) – Japan has upped its purchase of black tea from Sri Lanka in recent months, as quality of local tea improves and exporters comply with tougher standards. Exports to Japan were up 32.28 percent to as at end April this year to 3558 kilos of black tea, just behind China as top tea […]

SINGAPORE, Aug 16 (AFP) – Crude prices were steady in Asian hours Wednesday as traders breathed easier over the Middle East after the UN ceasefire in Lebanon took effect, dealers said. British energy giant BP’s announcement Friday that it would keep pumping oil from its Prudhoe Bay field in Alaska was also a relief for […]

August 16 (LBO) – Sri Lankan tea exporters can tap into about 30 million rupees in cess funds being given this year as an incentive for value added exports of Ceylon tea.Exporters can submit claims based on volumes exported, proof of value addition under Sri Lankan brand labels, provided pack sizes are under three kilos, […]

August 14 (LBO) – Sri Lanka is in talks with the Asian Development Bank to structure donor backed bonds to encourage private investment into the plantation sector, top officials said Monday. “We are talking to the Asian Development Bank to see if long term bonds guaranteed by foreign funding can be worked out for the plantation […]

Aug 11 (LBO) – A top UK department store says it is expanding its selection of up market Ceylon Teas by introducing more custom made designer teas to tempt the palate of its customers. A soon to be introduced Harrods “Eagle Nest” tea is manually hand rolled to exacting specifications of the posh Knightsbridge department store. […]