This is the Tea Price Report for Week 43, ending October 25, 2025.
Tea Trade Takeaways
• East Africa: PF1 prices strengthened at Mombasa as buyers favored clean teas; plain leaf was discounted.
• India: North Indian CTC auctions firm; retail inflation stable at 2.1%.
• Sri Lanka: Uva and Western High Growns held premiums amid limited offerings.
• Indonesia: Orthodox steady to dearer; Java plains easier on light demand.
X
Podcast Transcript
This week in global tea trading, prices at the world’s major auctions remained steady, with quality continuing to set the pace.
In Mombasa, Kenya, lighter offerings helped PF1 leaf hold firm, while plainer types lost traction. In India, festival buying kept North India auctions brisk and prices stable for CTC teas. Sri Lanka’s Uva seasonal and Western High Growns retained premiums, backed by steady demand from the Middle East and CIS markets. Indonesia’s orthodox markets remained quietly firm, though Java plains softened slightly. Globally, retail inflation is tame, and the focus is squarely on quality and cup brightness as Q4 shipments move ahead.
That’s your Tea Price Report for Week 43.
For expanded coverage, visit www.teajourney.pub → Tea Biz → Tea Price Report (https://teajourney.pub/tea-price-report/).
India
• Retail: CPI inflation held at 2.1% y/y, helping retail shelf prices stabilize. | MoSPI | Reuters
• Wholesale: Packers report steady CTC movement ahead of festival buying. | Economic Times
• Auction: Kolkata ₹232.1/kg (↑0.9%); Guwahati ₹207.5/kg (↑0.4%). | Tea Board of India
• Direct Buys: Exporters target bright Assam and Nilgiri CTC lots; forward coverage limited. | Van Rees
East Africa
(Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, Tanzania, Burundi, Ethiopia, Madagascar, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Democratic Republic of Congo*)
• Retail: Pakistan SPI up 0.25% w/w for “tea prepared.” | PBS
• Wholesale: PF1 clean leaf dearer; BP1 irregular on mixed quality. | Van Rees
• Auction: Mombasa Sale 42 saw lower volumes (~152,000 pkgs), withdrawals 30%. | EATTA | Africa Tea Brokers
• Direct Buys: Moderate cross-border sales to Sudan and Congo. | Lanka Commodity Brokers
Sri Lanka
- Retail: Ceylon tea shelf prices in EU and ME markets steady at elevated levels. | Ceylon Tea Brokers
- Wholesale: Export floors firm on higher costs; seasonal quality peak maintained. | Sri Lanka Tea Board
- Auction: Colombo Sale 42 offered 5.3 million kg; Uva and Western High Growns dearer. | Lanka Commodity Brokers
- Direct Buys: ME and CIS buyers active for bright orthodox; Iran restocking. | Ceylon Tea Brokers
Indonesia
• Retail: U.S. CPI for “beverage materials” +3.5% y/y. | BLS
• Wholesale: North Sumatra orthodox steady to firm; Java plains irregular. | Van Rees
• Auction: 4,100 packages offered; unsold 22%; bright orthodox dearer. | Van Rees
• Direct Buys: Cautious forward booking; light Q4 shipments. | Van Rees
Tea Price Forecasts
• Global composite price steady at ~$2.75/kg. | YCharts
• Trading Economics projects $2.70 – $2.85/kg band through Q4. | Trading Economics
• Van Rees expects premiums for PF1 and orthodox teas to remain quality-linked. | Van Rees
• IMARC forecasts 4% CAGR through 2030, driven by specialty and RTD segments. | IMARC
Note: AI algorithms make mistakes. Generated with ChatGPT3
Tea Report Archive
Week 37 (Sept. 6-12)
https://teajourney.pub/tea-price-report/week-37-sept-6-12-2025
Week 36 (Aug. 19 – Sept. 5)
https://teajourney.pub/tea-price-report/week-36-aug-30-sept-5-2025
Week 35 (Aug. 23-29)
https://teajourney.pub/tea-price-report/week-35-aug-23-29-2025/
Week 34 (Aug. 16-22)
https://teajourney.pub/tea-price-report/week-34-aug-16-22-2025/
Week 33 (Aug. 9-15)
https://teajourney.pub/tea-price-report/week-33-aug-9-15-2025/
*The Mombasa Tea Auction is the world’s largest black tea auction and one of the few that is uniquely international. It handles teas not only from Kenya, which supplies about 60–65% of the volumes, but also from Malawi, Rwanda, Tanzania, Burundi, Uganda, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, and Madagascar. The average annual volume ranges from 450 to 520 million kilograms. Mombasa is the only auction center in the world trading straight-line teas from more than one country.
