Lanka's tea crop drops 11.7% in August
Sri Lanka's tea crop for August dropped to 21.8 million kilograms,
against 24.6 million kilos in August 2005, which the trade say is
consequent to lesser application of fertiliser from January this year.
The percentage drop in crop from August 2005 to August 2006 is 11.7
percent.
The total tea crop at end-August was 210.0 million kilos, down from
216.6 million kilos at end-August last year. The drought experienced
during August 2006 in some plantations districts could have accounted
for some decline in yield. As things stand, it would require a very good
fourth quarter of cropping to get near the 2005 record crop of 314
million kilos, Anil Cooke from Asia Siyaka said. The previous best yield
was 310 million kilos, in 2002.
At end-March the island's crop stood at 76 million kilos, a gain of 5
percent over the yield of 72 million kilos at end-March 2005, conforming
to Asia Siyaka statistics. Since April this year, the island's tea crop
has conceded to last year's yield. End-June, the crop fell to 164 kilos,
as against 166 kilos at end-June 2005.
Taking black teas, in August this year, high grown teas recorded a
crop of 4.6 million kilos, and at end August 2005, the figure was 5.1
million kilos, a deficit of 9.1 percent for August 2006.
Medium grown black teas in August this year showed a crop of 3.1
million kilos, down from the August 2005 figure of 3.7 million kilos,
showing a deficit for this year of 15.3 percent.
Low growns black teas, for August 2006 recorded 13.8 million kilos,
down from 15.6 million kilos or minus 11.8 percent for August this year.
(EL)
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