This is the Tea Price Report for Week 40, ending Oct 4, 2025.
Tea Trade Takeaways
- Mombasa volumes moderated; prices for clean PF1/BP1 were firmer, plain grades still selective.
- Colombo: seasonal Uva character supported top invoices; overall demand irregular.
- India: Kolkata and Guwahati averages broadly steady; retail inflation contained.
- Destinations: Pakistan’s SPI mixed; US beverages modestly higher month‑on‑month.
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Podcast Transcript
Quality continued to earn premiums across major auctions. In East Africa, lighter catalogues at Mombasa helped PF1 and BP1 hold firm, though plainer grades still met resistance. In Sri Lanka, Colombo’s seasonal Uva lines drew keen bids while other orthodox grades traded at irregular rates. India’s Kolkata and Guwahati auctions were steady overall as retail inflation remained contained. On the destination side, Pakistan’s weekly index was mixed, while U.S. beverage prices ticked higher on the month. Bottom line: quality sells, buyers remain disciplined, and premiums are increasingly tied to leaf cleanliness and cup brightness.
That’s your Tea Price Report — Week 40.
For expanded coverage, visit www.teajourney.pub and select the Tea Biz Tea Price Report [https://teajourney.pub/tea-price-report/tea-price-report-week-40-4oct-2025/]
India
- Retail prices (consumer): CPI inflation contained; retailers emphasize value packs. | MoSPI (https://www.mospi.gov.in/) | Reuters (https://www.reuters.com/)
- Wholesale (trade sentiment): Packers cautious on list prices; quality premiums hold for well‑made CTC. | Economic Times (https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/) | Van Rees (https://vanrees.com/market-info/weekly-market-report/)
- Auction: Kolkata and Guwahati weekly averages broadly steady. | Tea Board of India (https://www.teaboard.gov.in/WEEKLYPRICES/2025)
- Direct buys: Spot top‑ups on bright CTC and niche orthodox; volumes selective. | Van Rees (https://vanrees.com/market-info/weekly-market-report/)
East Africa
(Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, Tanzania, Burundi, Ethiopia, Madagascar, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Democratic Republic of Congo*)
- Retail prices (destinations): Pakistan’s weekly SPI mixed into early October. | PBS (https://www.pbs.gov.pk/)
- Wholesale (trade sentiment): PF1/BP1 supported where leaf is clean; plain types discounted. | Van Rees (https://vanrees.com/market-info/weekly-market-report/)
- Auction (Mombasa): Lighter catalogues aided firmness; buyer selectivity persisted. | EATTA (https://eatta.co.ke/) | Africa Tea Brokers (https://africateabrokers.com/)
- Direct buys: Off‑auction contracting limited; trade remained auction‑led. | Van Rees (https://vanrees.com/market-info/weekly-market-report/)
Sri Lanka
- Retail prices (destinations): Orthodox shelf tags elevated in key EU/ME markets. | Ceylon Tea Brokers (https://ceylonteabrokers.com/)
- Wholesale (costs & sentiment): Wage and logistics costs keep exporter floors firm. | Sri Lanka Tea Board (https://teasrilanka.org/week-market-reports)
- Auction (Colombo): Uva seasonal lines drew premiums; overall demand irregular. | Lanka Commodity Brokers (https://www.lankacommoditybrokers.com/) | Sri Lanka Tea Board (https://teasrilanka.org/week-market-reports)
- Direct buys: Private sale activity steady into Middle East/CIS. | Ceylon Tea Brokers (https://ceylonteabrokers.com/)
Indonesia
- Retail prices (destinations): U.S. CPI — non‑alcoholic beverages modestly higher m/m. | BLS (https://www.bls.gov/)
- Wholesale (trade sentiment): North Sumatra orthodox steady to dearer; Java plain orthodox discounted. | Van Rees (https://vanrees.com/market-info/weekly-market-report/)
- Auction (Jakarta): Offerings selective; firmer for bright orthodox. | Van Rees (https://vanrees.com/market-info/weekly-market-report/)
- Direct buys: Limited forward cover; buyers remain hand‑to‑mouth. | Van Rees (https://vanrees.com/market-info/weekly-market-report/)
Tea Price Forecasts
- Global composite price steady near ~$2.75/kg in August/September. | YCharts (https://ycharts.com/indicators/world_tea_price)
- Trading Economics baseline keeps tea in a ~$2.70–$2.85/kg band into early Q4. | Trading Economics (https://tradingeconomics.com/commodity/tea)
- Van Rees: premiums for PF1/Orthodox to stay quality‑driven; plainers to discount. | Van Rees (https://vanrees.com/market-info/weekly-market-report/)
- IMARC: ~4% value CAGR through 2030 led by specialty and RTD segments. | IMARC (https://www.imarcgroup.com/tea-pricing-report)
Note: AI algorithms make mistakes. Generated with ChatGPT5
Tea Report Archive
Week 40 (Sept. 28-Oct 4)
https://teajourney.pub/tea-price-report/tea-price-report-week-40-4oct-2025/
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.
Tags – Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, China, DR Congo, Ethiopia, France, Georgia, Germany, India, Japan, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Russia, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Türkiye, Uganda, UK, Vietnam, Zimbabwe
