Sri Lanka May tea export volumes, earnings up

July 01, 2011 (LBO) - Sri Lanka's tea exports in May 2011 rose five percent to 25 million kilos from a year ago with earnings also up six percent to 12.







8 billion rupees, brokers said. Exports of tea packets, on which earnings are more than bulk exports.



were also up after a change in classification, while tea bag exports also rose.

Asia Siyaka Commodities said bulk tea shipments were 17 percent lower in May 2011 at 10.4 million kilos compared with the same month last year while exports of tea in packets shot up 70 percent to 11.

6 million kilos.

Exports of tea bags rose 58 percent to 2.

5 million kilos from the previous year.

Forbes and Walker Tea Brokers said 3-10 kilo packets have been excluded from the bulk tea category and included in the tea in packets category under the revised computation.

Cumulative exports in the January - May 2011 period were up eight percent to 124.

1 million kilos from a year ago with gains in tea in packets, tea in bags and green tea while earnings rose 13 percent to 64.9 billion rupees.

Asia Siyaka estimated the FOB (Free on Board) value of shipments had also risen to about 4.

75 US dollars a kilo in January May 2011 from 4.38 do