report
Sri Lanka's Tea Export Industry: Value, Concentration and Risk
Tea export volumes and dollar earnings fell through August 2026, while product mix, rupee unit values and destinations reveal uneven pressures.
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- See corrections ·
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- Research Mind
- Author
- Topics
- Market research · Tea exports · Sri Lanka
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Arachchige, K. L. (2025). Sri Lanka’s Tea Export Industry: Value, Concentration and Risk. Research Mind. https://www.arachchi.ge/works/sri-lanka-tea-industry/
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Arachchige, K. L. (2025). Sri Lanka’s Tea Export Industry: Value, Concentration and Risk. Research Mind. https://www.arachchi.ge/works/sri-lanka-tea-industry/
Arachchige, K.L. (2025) Sri Lanka’s Tea Export Industry: Value, Concentration and Risk. Research Mind. Available at: https://www.arachchi.ge/works/sri-lanka-tea-industry/.
Arachchige, Kushan Liyana. 2025. Sri Lanka’s Tea Export Industry: Value, Concentration and Risk. Research Mind. https://www.arachchi.ge/works/sri-lanka-tea-industry/.
Arachchige, Kushan Liyana. Sri Lanka’s Tea Export Industry: Value, Concentration and Risk. Research Mind, 23 June 2025, https://www.arachchi.ge/works/sri-lanka-tea-industry/.
[1] K. L. Arachchige, “Sri Lanka’s Tea Export Industry: Value, Concentration and Risk,” Research Mind, Jun. 2025. [Online]. Available: https://www.arachchi.ge/works/sri-lanka-tea-industry/
1. Arachchige KL. Sri Lanka’s Tea Export Industry: Value, Concentration and Risk [Internet]. Research Mind; 2025 Jun. Available from: https://www.arachchi.ge/works/sri-lanka-tea-industry/
About this audit
Tea grown in Sri Lanka, made, blended or packed domestically for export
Evidence coverage is limited; the conclusions and excluded uses below show the extent of the findings.
- Evidence checked through
- Edition published
- Methodology
- 1.1.0
- Market definition
- Version 2 · Sri Lanka
Market boundary
Export buyers at first export transaction
Included activities
- Cultivation
- Manufacture
- Blending
- Packing
- First export transaction
Excluded activities
- Foreign-origin processing in market totals
- Overseas retail
Changes in this edition
- First limited-coverage methodology 1.1 E0–E11 assessment with product/quantity/destination/vintage reconciliation.
- Corrects Lion Logo term and testing fee using dated circular.
- Preserves original publication identity, historical anchor and prior withdrawals.
- Correct source-edition catalogue metadata via preserved new source/dependency identities; manuscript and empirical observations unchanged.
Earlier publication dates and correction notices remain part of this work's history.
Key indicators and their sources
- Made-tea production: total
- 262,693,830 kg 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Revised Tea Production 2024 · Cumulative table, December total; total
- Made-tea production: orthodox including bio reclaimed
- 236,744,568 kg 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Revised Tea Production 2024 · Cumulative table, December total; orthodox including bio reclaimed
- Made-tea production: ctc
- 23,687,820 kg 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Revised Tea Production 2024 · Cumulative table, December total; ctc
- Made-tea production: black
- 260,432,387 kg 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Revised Tea Production 2024 · Cumulative table, December total; black
- Made-tea production: green
- 2,261,443 kg 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Revised Tea Production 2024 · Cumulative table, December total; green
- Made-tea production: high
- 55,702,004 kg 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Revised Tea Production 2024 · Cumulative table, December total; high
- Made-tea production: medium
- 47,379,165 kg 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Revised Tea Production 2024 · Cumulative table, December total; medium
- Made-tea production: low
- 159,612,660 kg 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Revised Tea Production 2024 · Cumulative table, December total; low
- Made-tea production: total
- 18,732,299 kg 2024-01-01 to 2024-01-31 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Revised Tea Production 2024 · Cumulative table, month 1, total column
- Made-tea production: total
- 38,827,069 kg 2024-01-01 to 2024-02-29 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Revised Tea Production 2024 · Cumulative table, month 2, total column
- Made-tea production: total
- 58,474,813 kg 2024-01-01 to 2024-03-31 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Revised Tea Production 2024 · Cumulative table, month 3, total column
- Made-tea production: total
- 80,155,903 kg 2024-01-01 to 2024-04-30 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Revised Tea Production 2024 · Cumulative table, month 4, total column
- Made-tea production: total
- 104,802,316 kg 2024-01-01 to 2024-05-31 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Revised Tea Production 2024 · Cumulative table, month 5, total column
- Made-tea production: total
- 127,956,137 kg 2024-01-01 to 2024-06-30 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Revised Tea Production 2024 · Cumulative table, month 6, total column
- Made-tea production: total
- 151,147,932 kg 2024-01-01 to 2024-07-31 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Revised Tea Production 2024 · Cumulative table, month 7, total column
- Made-tea production: total
- 172,484,412 kg 2024-01-01 to 2024-08-31 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Revised Tea Production 2024 · Cumulative table, month 8, total column
- Made-tea production: total
- 196,871,886 kg 2024-01-01 to 2024-09-30 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Revised Tea Production 2024 · Cumulative table, month 9, total column
- Made-tea production: total
- 218,155,316 kg 2024-01-01 to 2024-10-31 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Revised Tea Production 2024 · Cumulative table, month 10, total column
- Made-tea production: total
- 240,882,927 kg 2024-01-01 to 2024-11-30 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Revised Tea Production 2024 · Cumulative table, month 11, total column
- Made-tea production: total
- 262,693,830 kg 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Revised Tea Production 2024 · Cumulative table, month 12, total column
- Made-tea production: total
- 264,615,760 kg 2025-01-01 to 2025-12-31 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Revised Tea Production 2025 · Cumulative table, December total; total
- Made-tea production: orthodox including bio reclaimed
- 237,496,606 kg 2025-01-01 to 2025-12-31 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Revised Tea Production 2025 · Cumulative table, December total; orthodox including bio reclaimed
- Made-tea production: ctc
- 24,751,776 kg 2025-01-01 to 2025-12-31 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Revised Tea Production 2025 · Cumulative table, December total; ctc
- Made-tea production: black
- 262,248,381 kg 2025-01-01 to 2025-12-31 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Revised Tea Production 2025 · Cumulative table, December total; black
- Made-tea production: green
- 2,367,379 kg 2025-01-01 to 2025-12-31 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Revised Tea Production 2025 · Cumulative table, December total; green
- Made-tea production: high
- 56,496,205 kg 2025-01-01 to 2025-12-31 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Revised Tea Production 2025 · Cumulative table, December total; high
- Made-tea production: medium
- 47,706,386 kg 2025-01-01 to 2025-12-31 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Revised Tea Production 2025 · Cumulative table, December total; medium
- Made-tea production: low
- 160,413,169 kg 2025-01-01 to 2025-12-31 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Revised Tea Production 2025 · Cumulative table, December total; low
- Made-tea production: total
- 21,625,970 kg 2025-01-01 to 2025-01-31 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Revised Tea Production 2025 · Cumulative table, month 1, total column
- Made-tea production: total
- 37,383,742 kg 2025-01-01 to 2025-02-28 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Revised Tea Production 2025 · Cumulative table, month 2, total column
- Made-tea production: total
- 62,161,558 kg 2025-01-01 to 2025-03-31 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Revised Tea Production 2025 · Cumulative table, month 3, total column
- Made-tea production: total
- 88,628,071 kg 2025-01-01 to 2025-04-30 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Revised Tea Production 2025 · Cumulative table, month 4, total column
- Made-tea production: total
- 114,063,869 kg 2025-01-01 to 2025-05-31 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Revised Tea Production 2025 · Cumulative table, month 5, total column
- Made-tea production: total
- 135,773,414 kg 2025-01-01 to 2025-06-30 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Revised Tea Production 2025 · Cumulative table, month 6, total column
- Made-tea production: total
- 157,260,874 kg 2025-01-01 to 2025-07-31 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Revised Tea Production 2025 · Cumulative table, month 7, total column
- Made-tea production: total
- 176,977,257 kg 2025-01-01 to 2025-08-31 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Revised Tea Production 2025 · Cumulative table, month 8, total column
- Made-tea production: total
- 199,157,347 kg 2025-01-01 to 2025-09-30 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Revised Tea Production 2025 · Cumulative table, month 9, total column
- Made-tea production: total
- 221,148,317 kg 2025-01-01 to 2025-10-31 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Revised Tea Production 2025 · Cumulative table, month 10, total column
- Made-tea production: total
- 242,859,101 kg 2025-01-01 to 2025-11-30 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Revised Tea Production 2025 · Cumulative table, month 11, total column
- Made-tea production: total
- 264,615,760 kg 2025-01-01 to 2025-12-31 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Revised Tea Production 2025 · Cumulative table, month 12, total column
- Made-tea production: total
- 172,205,065 kg 2026-01-01 to 2026-08-31 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Sri Lanka Tea Production August 2026 · August 2026 cumulative table, total_kg
- Made-tea production: high black kg
- 37,348,051 kg 2026-01-01 to 2026-08-31 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Sri Lanka Tea Production August 2026 · August 2026 cumulative table, high_black_kg
- Made-tea production: medium black kg
- 29,745,078 kg 2026-01-01 to 2026-08-31 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Sri Lanka Tea Production August 2026 · August 2026 cumulative table, medium_black_kg
- Made-tea production: low black kg
- 103,367,224 kg 2026-01-01 to 2026-08-31 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Sri Lanka Tea Production August 2026 · August 2026 cumulative table, low_black_kg
- Made-tea production: green
- 1,744,712 kg 2026-01-01 to 2026-08-31 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Sri Lanka Tea Production August 2026 · August 2026 cumulative table, green_kg
- Association annual production
- 262,159,000 tonnes 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Tea Statistics · Annual production table, 2024 total
- Association annual production
- 264,122,000 tonnes 2025-01-01 to 2025-12-31 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Tea Statistics · Annual production table, 2025 total
- Bulk tea exports: quantity
- 69,743,412 kg 2026-01-01 to 2026-08-31 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Weekly Tea Market Report 22/23 September 2026 · Printed p14 / PDF p15, bulk, 2026, kg
- Bulk tea exports: shipment value
- 106,883,192,474 LKR 2026-01-01 to 2026-08-31 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Weekly Tea Market Report 22/23 September 2026 · Printed p14 / PDF p15, bulk, 2026, lkr
- Packets tea exports: quantity
- 74,203,381 kg 2026-01-01 to 2026-08-31 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Weekly Tea Market Report 22/23 September 2026 · Printed p14 / PDF p15, packets, 2026, kg
- Packets tea exports: shipment value
- 125,943,433,397 LKR 2026-01-01 to 2026-08-31 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Weekly Tea Market Report 22/23 September 2026 · Printed p14 / PDF p15, packets, 2026, lkr
- Bags tea exports: quantity
- 16,567,569 kg 2026-01-01 to 2026-08-31 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Weekly Tea Market Report 22/23 September 2026 · Printed p14 / PDF p15, bags, 2026, kg
- Bags tea exports: shipment value
- 49,930,805,657 LKR 2026-01-01 to 2026-08-31 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Weekly Tea Market Report 22/23 September 2026 · Printed p14 / PDF p15, bags, 2026, lkr
- Instant tea exports: quantity
- 2,733,682 kg 2026-01-01 to 2026-08-31 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Weekly Tea Market Report 22/23 September 2026 · Printed p14 / PDF p15, instant, 2026, kg
- Instant tea exports: shipment value
- 9,729,125,978 LKR 2026-01-01 to 2026-08-31 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Weekly Tea Market Report 22/23 September 2026 · Printed p14 / PDF p15, instant, 2026, lkr
- Green tea exports: quantity
- 3,077,461 kg 2026-01-01 to 2026-08-31 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Weekly Tea Market Report 22/23 September 2026 · Printed p14 / PDF p15, green, 2026, kg
- Green tea exports: shipment value
- 13,169,611,657 LKR 2026-01-01 to 2026-08-31 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Weekly Tea Market Report 22/23 September 2026 · Printed p14 / PDF p15, green, 2026, lkr
- Total tea exports: quantity
- 166,325,505 kg 2026-01-01 to 2026-08-31 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Weekly Tea Market Report 22/23 September 2026 · Printed p14 / PDF p15, total, 2026, kg
- Total tea exports: shipment value
- 305,656,169,163 LKR 2026-01-01 to 2026-08-31 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Weekly Tea Market Report 22/23 September 2026 · Printed p14 / PDF p15, total, 2026, lkr
- Bulk tea exports: quantity
- 72,896,132 kg 2025-01-01 to 2025-08-31 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Weekly Tea Market Report 22/23 September 2026 · Printed p14 / PDF p15, bulk, 2025, kg
- Bulk tea exports: shipment value
- 109,199,634,139 LKR 2025-01-01 to 2025-08-31 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Weekly Tea Market Report 22/23 September 2026 · Printed p14 / PDF p15, bulk, 2025, lkr
- Packets tea exports: quantity
- 78,877,425 kg 2025-01-01 to 2025-08-31 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Weekly Tea Market Report 22/23 September 2026 · Printed p14 / PDF p15, packets, 2025, kg
- Packets tea exports: shipment value
- 128,092,538,145 LKR 2025-01-01 to 2025-08-31 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Weekly Tea Market Report 22/23 September 2026 · Printed p14 / PDF p15, packets, 2025, lkr
- Bags tea exports: quantity
- 17,253,660 kg 2025-01-01 to 2025-08-31 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Weekly Tea Market Report 22/23 September 2026 · Printed p14 / PDF p15, bags, 2025, kg
- Bags tea exports: shipment value
- 48,057,347,908 LKR 2025-01-01 to 2025-08-31 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Weekly Tea Market Report 22/23 September 2026 · Printed p14 / PDF p15, bags, 2025, lkr
- Instant tea exports: quantity
- 2,244,057 kg 2025-01-01 to 2025-08-31 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Weekly Tea Market Report 22/23 September 2026 · Printed p14 / PDF p15, instant, 2025, kg
- Instant tea exports: shipment value
- 8,218,609,865 LKR 2025-01-01 to 2025-08-31 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Weekly Tea Market Report 22/23 September 2026 · Printed p14 / PDF p15, instant, 2025, lkr
- Green tea exports: quantity
- 3,279,460 kg 2025-01-01 to 2025-08-31 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Weekly Tea Market Report 22/23 September 2026 · Printed p14 / PDF p15, green, 2025, kg
- Green tea exports: shipment value
- 12,982,754,863 LKR 2025-01-01 to 2025-08-31 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Weekly Tea Market Report 22/23 September 2026 · Printed p14 / PDF p15, green, 2025, lkr
- Total tea exports: quantity
- 174,550,734 kg 2025-01-01 to 2025-08-31 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Weekly Tea Market Report 22/23 September 2026 · Printed p14 / PDF p15, total, 2025, kg
- Total tea exports: shipment value
- 306,550,884,920 LKR 2025-01-01 to 2025-08-31 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Weekly Tea Market Report 22/23 September 2026 · Printed p14 / PDF p15, total, 2025, lkr
- Bulk tea exports: quantity
- 106,801,645 kg 2025-01-01 to 2025-12-31 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Sri Lanka Tea Export Summary 2025 · Export summary cumulative product table, bulk, 2025, kg
- Bulk tea exports: shipment value
- 159,220,600,476 LKR 2025-01-01 to 2025-12-31 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Sri Lanka Tea Export Summary 2025 · Export summary cumulative product table, bulk, 2025, lkr
- Packets tea exports: quantity
- 116,245,861 kg 2025-01-01 to 2025-12-31 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Sri Lanka Tea Export Summary 2025 · Export summary cumulative product table, packets, 2025, kg
- Packets tea exports: shipment value
- 190,036,766,184 LKR 2025-01-01 to 2025-12-31 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Sri Lanka Tea Export Summary 2025 · Export summary cumulative product table, packets, 2025, lkr
- Bags tea exports: quantity
- 26,444,032 kg 2025-01-01 to 2025-12-31 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Sri Lanka Tea Export Summary 2025 · Export summary cumulative product table, bags, 2025, kg
- Bags tea exports: shipment value
- 73,521,922,064 LKR 2025-01-01 to 2025-12-31 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Sri Lanka Tea Export Summary 2025 · Export summary cumulative product table, bags, 2025, lkr
- Instant tea exports: quantity
- 3,026,924 kg 2025-01-01 to 2025-12-31 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Sri Lanka Tea Export Summary 2025 · Export summary cumulative product table, instant, 2025, kg
- Instant tea exports: shipment value
- 11,075,435,763 LKR 2025-01-01 to 2025-12-31 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Sri Lanka Tea Export Summary 2025 · Export summary cumulative product table, instant, 2025, lkr
- Green tea exports: quantity
- 4,922,226 kg 2025-01-01 to 2025-12-31 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Sri Lanka Tea Export Summary 2025 · Export summary cumulative product table, green, 2025, kg
- Green tea exports: shipment value
- 19,421,948,808 LKR 2025-01-01 to 2025-12-31 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Sri Lanka Tea Export Summary 2025 · Export summary cumulative product table, green, 2025, lkr
- Total tea exports: quantity
- 257,440,687 kg 2025-01-01 to 2025-12-31 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Sri Lanka Tea Export Summary 2025 · Export summary cumulative product table, total, 2025, kg
- Total tea exports: shipment value
- 453,276,673,295 LKR 2025-01-01 to 2025-12-31 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Sri Lanka Tea Export Summary 2025 · Export summary cumulative product table, total, 2025, lkr
- Total tea exports: quantity
- 19,374,528 kg 2025-01-01 to 2025-01-31 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Sri Lanka Tea Export Summary 2025 · Monthly export table, month 1, total kg
- Total tea exports: quantity
- 20,398,308 kg 2025-02-01 to 2025-02-28 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Sri Lanka Tea Export Summary 2025 · Monthly export table, month 2, total kg
- Total tea exports: quantity
- 23,433,044 kg 2025-03-01 to 2025-03-31 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Sri Lanka Tea Export Summary 2025 · Monthly export table, month 3, total kg
- Total tea exports: quantity
- 18,204,821 kg 2025-04-01 to 2025-04-30 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Sri Lanka Tea Export Summary 2025 · Monthly export table, month 4, total kg
- Total tea exports: quantity
- 21,872,480 kg 2025-05-01 to 2025-05-31 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Sri Lanka Tea Export Summary 2025 · Monthly export table, month 5, total kg
- Total tea exports: quantity
- 23,266,197 kg 2025-06-01 to 2025-06-30 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Sri Lanka Tea Export Summary 2025 · Monthly export table, month 6, total kg
- Total tea exports: quantity
- 24,038,394 kg 2025-07-01 to 2025-07-31 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Sri Lanka Tea Export Summary 2025 · Monthly export table, month 7, total kg
- Total tea exports: quantity
- 23,703,757 kg 2025-08-01 to 2025-08-31 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Sri Lanka Tea Export Summary 2025 · Monthly export table, month 8, total kg
- Total tea exports: quantity
- 23,776,029 kg 2025-09-01 to 2025-09-30 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Sri Lanka Tea Export Summary 2025 · Monthly export table, month 9, total kg
- Total tea exports: quantity
- 21,885,803 kg 2025-10-01 to 2025-10-31 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Sri Lanka Tea Export Summary 2025 · Monthly export table, month 10, total kg
- Total tea exports: quantity
- 19,359,281 kg 2025-11-01 to 2025-11-30 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Sri Lanka Tea Export Summary 2025 · Monthly export table, month 11, total kg
- Total tea exports: quantity
- 17,868,842 kg 2025-12-01 to 2025-12-31 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Sri Lanka Tea Export Summary 2025 · Monthly export table, month 12, total kg
- Rounded USD export unit value
- 5.88 USD/kg 2025-01-01 to 2025-08-31 · observation · not-stated Reported to two decimal USD/kg; multiplying cannot recover exact aggregate value. Weekly Tea Market Report 22/23 September 2026 · Printed p3 January–August FOB average narrative
- Rounded USD export unit value
- 5.71 USD/kg 2026-01-01 to 2026-08-31 · observation · not-stated Reported to two decimal USD/kg; multiplying cannot recover exact aggregate value. Weekly Tea Market Report 22/23 September 2026 · Printed p3 January–August FOB average narrative
- EDB provisional tea export earnings
- 948,450,000 USD million 2026-01-01 to 2026-08-31 · observation · preliminary Reported to 0.01 million USD; Customs-based shipment value, not bank collection. Eight-month export performance 2026 · Tea export earnings, January–August paragraph
- EDB provisional tea export earnings
- 130,920,000 USD million 2026-08-01 to 2026-08-31 · observation · preliminary Reported to 0.01 million USD. Eight-month export performance 2026 · Tea export earnings, August paragraph
- EDB provisional tea export earnings growth
- -7.56 percent 2026-01-01 to 2026-08-31 · observation · preliminary Reported to two decimal percentage points; not independently reconstructed without prior exact value. Eight-month export performance 2026 · Tea paragraph, ytd year-on-year change
- EDB provisional tea export earnings growth
- -7.76 percent 2026-08-01 to 2026-08-31 · observation · preliminary Reported to two decimal percentage points; not independently reconstructed without prior exact value. Eight-month export performance 2026 · Tea paragraph, aug year-on-year change
- Made-tea production: total
- 20,684,089 kg 2026-01-01 to 2026-01-31 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Sri Lanka Tea Production Summary 2026 · Month 1, total production column
- Made-tea production: total
- 17,971,941 kg 2026-02-01 to 2026-02-28 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Sri Lanka Tea Production Summary 2026 · Month 2, total production column
- Made-tea production: total
- 20,897,387 kg 2026-03-01 to 2026-03-31 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Sri Lanka Tea Production Summary 2026 · Month 3, total production column
- Made-tea production: total
- 24,220,659 kg 2026-04-01 to 2026-04-30 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Sri Lanka Tea Production Summary 2026 · Month 4, total production column
- Made-tea production: total
- 24,909,606 kg 2026-05-01 to 2026-05-31 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Sri Lanka Tea Production Summary 2026 · Month 5, total production column
- Made-tea production: total
- 22,564,162 kg 2026-06-01 to 2026-06-30 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Sri Lanka Tea Production Summary 2026 · Month 6, total production column
- Made-tea production: total
- 21,260,837 kg 2026-07-01 to 2026-07-31 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Sri Lanka Tea Production Summary 2026 · Month 7, total production column
- Made-tea production: total
- 18,996,068 kg 2026-08-01 to 2026-08-31 · observation · not-stated Source precision retained; no numerical error interval is supplied. Sri Lanka Tea Production Summary 2026 · Month 8, total production column
Framework coverage
| Module | Coverage | Evidence limitation |
|---|---|---|
| E0 · Identity, decision use and market boundary | complete | See the module analysis. |
| E1 · Market baseline and development | partial | Origin-purged market size, stock balance, domestic use and complete revision path is excluded; conclusions do not depend on it. |
| E2 · Macroenvironment | partial | Causal weather, input-cost and financing effects on tea participants is excluded; conclusions do not depend on it. |
| E3 · Policy, regulation and stakeholders | partial | Complete operative instrument and destination-rule inventory; observed compliance outcomes is excluded; conclusions do not depend on it. |
| E4 · Industry structure and economics | partial | National profitability, inventory finance, company cash conversion and farmgate outcomes is excluded; conclusions do not depend on it. |
| E5 · Customers, segments and demand | partial | Representative customers, ultimate-buyer concentration, demand elasticity and willingness to pay is excluded; conclusions do not depend on it. |
| E6 · Routes to market, suppliers and partners | partial | Complete intermediary counts, channel margins, shipment delays and settlement performance is excluded; conclusions do not depend on it. |
| E7 · Competition, alternatives and positioning | partial | Complete company and substitute set; company shares and comparable offer/price rankings is excluded; conclusions do not depend on it. |
| E8 · Innovation, technology and transition | partial | Technology adoption, quality-rejection outcomes and returns from extraction, packaging or traceability is excluded; conclusions do not depend on it. |
| E9 · Outlook, uncertainty and scenarios | partial | Numerical sector forecast and probabilistic tea loss scenarios is excluded; conclusions do not depend on it. |
| E10 · Opportunities, threats and critical success factors | partial | Causal CSF weights, ranked opportunities and guaranteed premiums or returns is excluded; conclusions do not depend on it. |
| E11 · Limitations, monitoring and review | complete | See the module analysis. |
Material evidence limitations
- Boundary prevents imported tea, overseas distribution, stocks and extract conversion from entering a false total.
- Origin-purged market size, stock balance, domestic use and complete revision path is excluded.
- Causal weather, input-cost and financing effects on tea participants is excluded.
- Complete operative instrument and destination-rule inventory; observed compliance outcomes is excluded.
- National profitability, inventory finance, company cash conversion and farmgate outcomes is excluded.
- Representative customers, ultimate-buyer concentration, demand elasticity and willingness to pay is excluded.
- Complete intermediary counts, channel margins, shipment delays and settlement performance is excluded.
- Complete company and substitute set; company shares and comparable offer/price rankings is excluded.
- Technology adoption, quality-rejection outcomes and returns from extraction, packaging or traceability is excluded.
- Numerical sector forecast and probabilistic tea loss scenarios is excluded.
- Causal CSF weights, ranked opportunities and guaranteed premiums or returns is excluded.
Conclusions this evidence cannot support
- Origin-purged market size, stock balance, domestic use and complete revision path
- Causal weather, input-cost and financing effects on tea participants
- Complete operative instrument and destination-rule inventory; observed compliance outcomes
- National profitability, inventory finance, company cash conversion and farmgate outcomes
- Representative customers, ultimate-buyer concentration, demand elasticity and willingness to pay
- Complete intermediary counts, channel margins, shipment delays and settlement performance
- Complete company and substitute set; company shares and comparable offer/price rankings
- Technology adoption, quality-rejection outcomes and returns from extraction, packaging or traceability
- Numerical sector forecast and probabilistic tea loss scenarios
- Causal CSF weights, ranked opportunities and guaranteed premiums or returns
Sri Lanka’s tea exports earned less in dollars in the first eight months of 2026 even as higher rupee unit values cushioned the loss of volume. This is the central finding of the current evidence. Export kilograms fell 4.71% from the same period of 2025; rupee export values fell only 0.29% in the comparable product table. The Export Development Board’s separate dollar series fell 7.56%. These results describe Customs-recorded shipment values at the export boundary, not confirmed financial settlement, collected bank receipts or the profitability of growers, factories or exporters.
The destination pattern also changed. Turkey took substantially more tea, while shipments to Iraq, Libya, the United Arab Emirates and Iran fell. That redistribution limits the usefulness of a single national growth rate: exposure depends on the product, destination and payment relationship. Meanwhile, revised production data show only a small full-year increase in 2025 and a renewed decline through August 2026.
Evidence checked through: 20 October 2026. The current matched production and export tables inspected cover January–August 2026; they are not full-year estimates. All money is nominal. Coverage is limited for company competition, ultimate customers, producer finance, stocks, origin-adjusted trade and margins.
What the quantities cover
The market is Sri Lankan-origin tea from domestic cultivation and processing through blending, packing and the first export transaction. Foreign-origin tea and overseas distribution and retail are outside that boundary. The broader national production, auction and conventional export statistics used below are identified separately because the inspected aggregates do not fully isolate origin, re-exports and stock movements.
Production means made tea, not the weight of freshly collected green leaf. Export categories distinguish bulk, packets, tea bags, instant and green tea. A kilogram of extract is not a kilogram of leaf input, and packaging categories do not by themselves identify domestic value addition. The Tea Board’s historical customs-coding instructions distinguish processing, packing and origin; they do not provide a verified, complete crosswalk from every current customs code to every published aggregate. The audit therefore reports these series without presenting their sum or difference as an exact market size.
The intended use is an assessment of trade conditions, supply pressures and evidence gaps. It does not establish company market shares, representative household or worker outcomes, customer willingness to pay, investment returns or a national profit pool.
A modest production recovery did not continue into 2026
The Tea Board’s revised 2025 table records 264.62 million kg, against 262.69 million kg in its revised 2024 table: growth of 0.73%, calculated from unrounded totals. Orthodox production including bio and reclaimed tea was 237.50 million kg; CTC was 24.75 million kg and green tea 2.37 million kg. Low-grown output supplied 60.62% of the all-tea total. These are physical composition measures, not quality rankings.
The official revised annual figures are preferable to the lower totals still displayed in the Tea Exporters Association’s statistics. The association’s 2025 total is 493,760 kg below the revised Board figure; its 2024 total is 534,830 kg lower. The public records do not explain the entire revision path, so the differences remain visible rather than being assigned a speculative cause.
For January–August 2026, Forbes & Walker’s production report gives 172.21 million kg, down 2.70% against the same 2025 period and broadly level with 2024. Its classification places black tea under elevations and green tea separately; those elevation rows should not be compared directly with the Board’s all-tea elevation totals. The decline is evidence of reduced output, not an estimate of how much weather, fertiliser, labour or finance individually contributed.
Export value depends on product and currency
Forbes & Walker’s 2025 cumulative export table records 257.44 million kg and LKR453.28 billion. Packets accounted for 116.25 million kg, exceeding bulk’s 106.80 million kg. This establishes a substantial processed and packed export offer; it does not measure the margin earned by Sri Lankan participants.
The 22–23 September 2026 report, printed page 14, attributes the following matched January–August figures to Sri Lanka Customs. Calculations use the exact kg and rupee observations before rounding.
| Export category | 2025 quantity, million kg | 2026 quantity, million kg | Quantity change | 2026 FOB unit value, LKR/kg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bulk | 72.90 | 69.74 | −4.32% | 1,532.52 |
| Packets | 78.88 | 74.20 | −5.93% | 1,697.27 |
| Tea bags | 17.25 | 16.57 | −3.98% | 3,013.77 |
| Instant | 2.24 | 2.73 | +21.82% | 3,558.98 |
| Green | 3.28 | 3.08 | −6.16% | 4,279.38 |
| Total | 174.55 | 166.33 | −4.71% | 1,837.70 |
Instant tea’s increase was counterevidence to a uniform contraction, but it represented only 1.64% of export kilograms. Higher average unit values for bags and green tea cannot establish that those formats were more profitable: product mix, quality, destination, packaging and processing costs differ. Averages are not like-for-like contract prices.
Total rupee export values were LKR305.66 billion against LKR306.55 billion. Dividing each period’s value by its volume gives a 4.64% rise in the average rupee unit value, almost offsetting the volume decline. The EDB release of 24 September reports US$948.45 million, down 7.56%, from provisional Customs-based data. It also reports declines in dollar export earnings from bulk and packeted tea. Currency denomination materially changes the apparent resilience of export performance.
These series are not an exact currency bridge. Multiplying the broker’s rounded reported US$5.71/kg average by its volume produces US$949.72 million, about US$1.27 million above EDB earnings. Rounding and coverage are possible contributors, but their separate effects cannot be established from the inspected aggregates. No exact exchange-rate decomposition or export-margin calculation is inferred.
Destination redistribution changes the risk profile
The broker’s destination table, corroborated by the association’s cumulative narrative, records Turkey at 30.43 million kg in January–August 2026, against 12.49 million a year earlier. Iraq fell from 26.01 million to 16.43 million kg. Russia rose modestly to 15.40 million kg. Together, these three destinations accounted for 37.43% of 2026 volume; the same countries accounted for 30.52% in 2025. This comparison concerns the same named destinations, not a claim that they were the three largest destinations in both years.
The rise in Turkey does not prove that it absorbed shipments diverted from elsewhere. Destination records identify declared trade destinations, not final consumption or the ultimate buyer. The EDB’s August release separately reports sharply lower tea dollar earnings from Middle Eastern markets in that month. These records support monitoring destination and settlement exposure, while leaving rerouting, freight effects and buyer substitution unresolved.
A producer, bulk exporter, packer and overseas brand owner face different competitive conditions. Bulk and finished-pack exports serve different buying tasks; sourcing, blending specifications, pack compliance, delivery reliability and brand access cannot be collapsed into a single price comparison. The evidence here does not identify a complete active-exporter population, common company sales denominator or verified national concentration ratio. Forbes & Walker is an observed broker and statistical publisher, not a proxy for all competing exporters. No company is selected as representative or ranked by size.
Auctions connect production to trade, but the spread is not a margin
The physical sequence runs from green-leaf collection to manufacture, grading, sale, blending or packing, quality clearance and shipment. Growers and factories supply different stages; brokers facilitate sales; exporters, packers, laboratories, warehouses, banks and shipping providers enable the export transaction. The Tea Board Export Division describes registration, quality inspection and customs-declaration authorisation responsibilities. These are institutional functions, not evidence that every shipment met every requirement.
The Board’s second-quarter 2026 update, table 6, records 55.39 million kg sold by public auction out of 59.00 million kg across its listed sales channels: approximately 93.9%. This is a quarterly share of that sales universe, not the share of exports sold through auction. It nevertheless identifies auction access and settlement as material links between production and export orders. Private and direct sales remain visible alternatives.
The DCS cost series puts provisional 2024/25 production cost at LKR1,043.38 per kg of made tea, up 8.25% from 2023/24. Its stated coverage includes transport from factories to Colombo. This is a different population and financial-year period from the calendar-period FOB data. Subtracting it from export unit values would create a false national margin: additional processing, packaging, finance and distribution costs, as well as product and participant differences, remain unresolved. Nor does an average made-tea cost establish a smallholder’s income or a worker’s earnings.
Quality rules create conditions for access, not a guaranteed premium
Origin and quality controls can make a product eligible for a particular claim or channel. They cannot demonstrate willingness to pay or commercial returns. The Tea Board’s 18 September 2023 Lion Logo circular sets approval, sensory and laboratory requirements for qualifying Sri Lankan-origin products. Sections 4.15 and 5.1 specify three-year registration with annual surveillance; section 6.1 specifies a LKR15,000 chemical and microbiological testing fee, excluding VAT, per specified pack/brand/SKU or family of SKUs for the three-year period. This is not a statement of all business compliance costs, and section 6.2 allows fee revisions.
The dated circular expressly supersedes earlier circulars. It conflicts with the Board’s undated webpage, which still states a one-year term and LKR5,000. The dated source governs this account; confirmation of any subsequent amendment remains a monitoring obligation. The article’s previous one-year/LKR5,000 statement is corrected below.
Traceability, extraction, packaging and quality systems present distinct development possibilities. The observed increase in instant-tea exports is a product signal, not proof of broad technological adoption. Certification documentation is a rule, not evidence of a price premium. The missing adoption, rejection, repeat-order and cost data prevent a quantified return estimate for traceability or processing investments.
Climate and finance require separate observation and forecast records
The Tea Board’s second-quarter report describes dry conditions followed by heavy rain and wind alongside input and labour pressures. This is sector reporting about possible mechanisms; the production series does not isolate their causal contribution. Output can fall while some growers or product segments perform differently.
The bounded assessment of the supplied CBSL Financial Stability Review 2026 adds a financing mechanism, not a tea loss estimate. Its climate discussion concerns potential effects on income, repayment capacity, collateral and insurance. Its agriculture loan aggregates and listed plantation-company interest coverage do not represent all tea growers, factories or exporters. The supplied document’s publisher-byte authentication and exact publication day remain unresolved under the accepted source reconciliation; none of its broad ratios is assigned to tea in this audit.
The forecast context has also moved forward. The Department of Meteorology’s 12 October 2026 update, drawing on NOAA’s 8 October discussion, gives a greater-than-83% probability of strong or very strong El Niño conditions through January–March 2027. This supersedes the September forecast context cited in the FSR. It is a forecast of Pacific conditions, not an 83% probability of Sri Lankan tea crop loss or borrower default. Estate-level weather, yield, credit and insurance observations would be needed to quantify local effects.
What would change the assessment
The near-term outlook remains conditional. If comparable dollar export earnings and kilograms recover across several destinations, that would weaken the finding of trade pressure. If rupee unit values rise while volumes or dollar export earnings continue to fall, nominal rupee resilience would still leave demand and payment questions open. Weather forecasts warrant monitoring, but neither the current data nor the FSR supplies a defensible point forecast for tea output, earnings or credit losses.
Three market-level requirements follow from the evidence. They are analytical propositions, not measured company capabilities or ranked determinants of success.
| Requirement | Evidence and observable test | Qualification or invalidation condition |
|---|---|---|
| Maintain product and origin compliance across the export chain | Export approval and Logo rules; test documented lot identity, test results and rejection records | Applies to the specified regulated product and claim; requirements change when rules or destination specifications change |
| Match product economics to the actual buyer and currency | Divergent product unit values and rupee/dollar outcomes; test contribution after full costs, payment timing and currency exposure | National aggregates cannot establish a firm’s margin; the proposition needs reassessment where contracts transfer these risks |
| Manage delivery and payment exposure across destinations | Redistribution of shipments and auction dependence; test country/buyer exposure, shipment delay and overdue receipts | Country diversification alone is insufficient when buyers, routes or settlement channels remain shared |
The opportunity is conditional access to differentiated products and customers, supported by visible packed and instant exports. The threats are uneven demand, supply disruption, cost pressure and compliance or settlement failure. The evidence does not establish the probability or commercial value of any one opportunity, nor that every participant experiences these threats equally.
Evidence limits and publication history
This assessment examined all twelve external-audit modules. Findings are strongest for production, recorded export composition, destination change and documented rules. Customer behaviour, firm competition, technology adoption, household and producer finance, complete origin-adjusted trade and profitability remain partial or unavailable. Destination data cannot support buyer concentration; listed-company finance cannot support all-producer conclusions; forecasts cannot substitute for observed losses.
Material inconsistencies are retained in the research record. They include annual association-versus-Board production vintages; monthly-versus-cumulative quantity residuals; a December 2025 association table that repeats 2024 export figures; the dollar bridge residual; and conflicting percentage, currency and denominator cells in the Board’s quarterly report. The selected findings use reconciled tables and exclude the disputed calculations. Production minus exports is not labelled domestic consumption or stock accumulation.
The next evidence priorities are a current customs product/origin crosswalk and revision log; stocks and domestic-use reconciliation; comparable buyer and exporter records; and tea-specific credit, cost, labour and customer data. The next monthly primary releases should be checked before extending the trend beyond August. Dated rule amendments and local climate bulletins require separate monitoring.
Publication history. The original work was published on 23 June 2025. The 13 August 2026 update withdrew the unsupported US$2.2 billion 2034 forecast, five per cent long-run growth assumption and company-specific revenue and return estimates; those withdrawals remain in force. This 20 October 2026 reassessment extends the production, export, destination, cost, institutional and climate analysis under methodology 1.1.0.
Correction, 20 October 2026. The previous update stated that Lion Logo certification lasted one year and cost LKR5,000 plus tax, and described a three-year term as incorrect. That account relied on an undated webpage. The dated 18 September 2023 circular specifies three-year registration subject to annual surveillance and the LKR15,000 testing fee described above. The earlier suggestion that certification was free remains withdrawn. No guaranteed processing time or commercial premium is asserted.
Research transparency
Methods, findings and limits
Methodology
Market Audit methodology 1.1.0, with evidence searched through 20 October 2026. Revised Tea Board production, matched Customs-attributed broker export tables, EDB dollar earnings, DCS production costs and dated administrative and meteorological records are reconciled by period, product, unit and vintage. Coverage is limited; the full E0–E11 research record preserves missing evidence and excluded conclusions. No exact origin-adjusted market size, company share, profit estimate or numerical forecast is inferred.
Key findings
- Revised 2025 tea production grew 0.73%; January–August 2026 output was 2.70% below the matched 2025 period.
- January–August export kilograms fell 4.71%, while rupee unit values rose 4.64%, nearly offsetting the decline in rupee export values.
- EDB reports US$948.45 million of tea earnings in January–August 2026, down 7.56%; these earnings are not exporter margins.
- Destination redistribution increased exposure to Turkey, while other material destinations contracted; destination shares do not measure company or final-buyer concentration.
- The dated Lion Logo circular corrects the earlier one-year validity and LKR5,000 fee statement.
Limitations
The latest matched production and export tables inspected end in August 2026. Origin, re-exports, stocks and domestic use are not fully reconciled. Product unit values differ in scope from production costs and do not reveal profit. Company competition, ultimate customers, technology adoption, worker outcomes and tea-specific finance remain limited. Conflicting source cells and revision residuals are preserved rather than silently resolved. Forecasts are not observed crop or credit losses.
Evidence
Sources
- Revised Tea Production 2025 — Cumulative to December
- Revised Tea Production 2024 — Cumulative to December
- Weekly Tea Market Report — 22 and 23 September 2026
- Sri Lanka Tea Production — August 2026
- Sri Lanka Tea Export Summary 2025
- Sri Lanka's exports surpass US$12 billion in first eight months of 2026
- Cost of Production — Tea
- Tea Market Update — Second Quarter 2026
- Lion Logo Circular — 18 September 2023
- El Niño Update — 12 October 2026
- ENSO Diagnostic Discussion — 8 October 2026
- Financial Stability Review 2026 — supplied edition; publisher byte authentication and publication day unverified
Independence
Funding and disclosures
Funding
No external funding was received for this report or its 2026 evidence update.
Disclosures
This is independent market analysis. The author has no disclosed commission, employment or sponsorship from the Tea Board, exporters, producers, buyers, packaging suppliers or publishers cited here. This report is not investment or procurement advice.
Accountability
Correction history
-
Corrected the 13 August 2026 update's one-year Lion Logo validity and LKR5,000 fee statement using the dated 18 September 2023 superseding circular: three-year registration subject to annual surveillance and a LKR15,000 testing fee excluding VAT per specified pack/brand/SKU or family. Prior withdrawals of free certification, unsupported forecasts and company returns remain in force.