Sri Lanka™s March tea output hit by bad weather

April 26, 2012 (LBO) – Sri Lanka™s tea output slipped 22.6 percent in March, over the same period 2011, due to bad weather conditions, a tea broking firm said. Crop figures released by the state-run Tea Board showed output fell to 27.21 million kilos in March, as against 35.13 million kilos recorded in March a year earlier.

"Warm conditions with low rain fall was the main cause (for the crop decline),"Asia Siyaka Commodities Limited said in its weekly tea review.

Overall tea output for the first three months of this year, also declined by nearly seven percent to 73.18 million kilos from 78.40 million kilos in 2011.

"Worst hit have been High Growns, which have dropped 15.0 percent from 20.1 million kilos in 2011 to 16.9 million kilos this year. Low Growns have declined four percent from 45.9 million kilos to 44.2 million kilos," Asia Siyaka said.

"Mediums have eased three percent year-on-year."

Sri Lanka is better known for its high quality aromatic tea that is made with tender leafs and buds of the plant, botanically known as Camellia sinenis.

In 2011, Sri Lanka shipped 322.5 million kilos of tea, up from 324.3 million ki