Sri Lanka tea production down in June

July 23, 2013 (LBO) - Tea production was down 4.

29 percent to 24.69 million kilograms in June 2013 from a year earlier, Sri Lanka Tea Board data showed, amid warnings from tea companies that heavy rains were reducing output.



The sharpest drop was seen in high grown elevations with production down 19 percent to 4.



56 million kilos. Medium growns were slightly up to 4.

0 million from 3.7 million a year earlier.

Low growns were steady at 16.0 million kilos, only slightly down from 16.

3 million kilos a year earlier.

Up to May monthly production was consistently higher than in 2012.

The June tea production was sharply down from May when Sri Lanka produced 33.6 million kilos, up from 30 million kilos a year earlier.

Helped by strong output up to May, half year production was up 6 percent to 173 million kilos.

According to data from Forbes and Walker Tea Brokers June exports were down 27 percent to 34 million kilograms from a year earlier.

Revenues from tea exports were down 23 percent to 14.

8 billion rupees from 23.8 billion rupees.