Sri Lanka’s tea industry recorded a marginal improvement in October 2025, though the performance across different elevations highlighted ongoing disparities and structural challenges within the sector. According to provisional data from Forbes & Walker Research, the country’s October tea crop reached 21.78 million kilograms (Mnkg), up 0.50 Mnkg from the 21.28 Mnkg harvested in October 2024.
However, this slight year-on-year gain masks a mixed scenario, with all elevations except the Low Grown segment reporting declines. Compared to October 2023, the overall crop fell by 1.22 Mnkg from 23.0 Mnkg, reflecting persistent fluctuations in production.
High Grown tea, known for its premium quality, faced a significant 6.22% year-on-year reduction, producing 3.79 Mnkg, while the Medium Grown segment declined 1.52% to 3.47 Mnkg.
In contrast, the Low Grown category was the only segment to post a positive variance, increasing 5.96% to 14.34 Mnkg. Green Tea output also dipped 1.86% to 176,195 kilos, extending a downward trend from previous years, with a notable 13.39% drop compared to 2023 levels.
Despite these mixed monthly figures, cumulative production for January–October 2025 reached 220.97 Mnkg, representing an increase of 2.82 Mnkg over the 218.15 Mnkg recorded in the same period in 2024.
All elevations posted gains relative to last year: High Grown output rose 2.16% to 45.92 Mnkg, Medium Grown climbed 2.88% to 39.59 Mnkg, and Low Grown increased marginally by 0.50% to 133.51 Mnkg. Green Tea production also improved 4.10% to 1.94 Mnkg.
When compared with the first ten months of 2023, which saw 216.49 Mnkg harvested, cumulative production in 2025 reflects a 4.48 Mnkg increase. Medium Grown, Low Grown, and Green Tea segments exceeded 2023 levels, while High Grown output remained 5.17% below the same period, underscoring persistent challenges in the country’s premium tea sector.
Industry analysts note that the uneven recovery across elevations highlights structural and operational weaknesses, including aging plantations, labour shortages, and fluctuating climatic conditions, which continue to affect yield consistency. The disparity in production between high and low elevations also suggests that investment and modernization efforts need to be strategically targeted to support sustainable growth.
While modest cumulative gains offer cautious optimism for Sri Lanka’s tea industry, stakeholders emphasize the importance of addressing productivity gaps, upgrading processing facilities, and promoting high-value tea varieties for export. As global demand remains competitive, the sector’s future growth will rely on balancing elevation-specific challenges with strategic innovation and market diversification.
Forbes & Walker Research concluded that, although overall output shows incremental improvement, elevation-level shifts and structural constraints continue to shape production trends, signalling the need for targeted policy and private sector interventions to strengthen the industry.
