Mar 11, 2011 (LBO) – Tea harvests from Sri Lanka’s main plantations areas have improved following a slump caused by bad weather which affected the first quarter ‘Western quality season’, brokers said. Unseasonal heavy rains had affected tea harvests especially on the western slopes of the island’s central hills which usually produce quality teas in the first quarter that fetch high prices.
“Crops from all elevations have shown an improvement compared to last week,” brokers John Keells said in a report.
“Unlike previous years, February has been wet and cold with heavy rainfall over many of the tea growing areas,” the brokers said.
“The Western sector in particular has had regular showers which has prevented production of teas with seasonal character.
“Weather conditions being experienced are now slightly drier. Crop production figures remained low, but are expected to increase with the warmer weather now being experienced.”
The brokers said there was good demand for ‘low grown’ teas which make up over half the crop and that buying by Libya, a big customer, had not been affected by political unrest.
“The uncertainty that prevailed in the previous week was a thing of t