Sri Lanka’s tea production fell by 3.7% in year-on-year terms in August 2026, dropping to 18.9 million kilogram (kg) – from 19.7 million kg in the same period last year, according to Sri Lanka Tea Board (SLTB) data cited in a report compiled by Siyaka Research. 

Correspondingly, High Grown tea production fell to its lowest monthly level in more than three decades, according to the report. Preliminary tea production data for the month shows that High Grown production fell sharply to 3.1 million kg, the lowest monthly output recorded since the El Niño year of 1992, although production in April 1992 was much lower at 2.2 million kg, according to the report.

Low Grown tea production increased to 13.1 million kg from 12.7 million kg in the same month last year, partly reducing the impact of the decline, while Medium Grown production fell 14% to 2.7 million kg from 3.1 million kg, and High Grown production dropped 15.8% to 3.02 million kg from 3.59 million kg.

August 2026 saw heavy rainfall and continued overcast conditions affecting tea production, while fresh concerns were raised over early 2027 tea production due to extremely dry and hot conditions, the report stated.

Meanwhile, according to the report, the first eight months of 2026 recorded a total tea production of 172.2 million kg, down from 176.9 million kg during the same period last year, the report stated.

High Grown production contribution for the period was slightly higher at 38.3 million kg, compared with 38.1 million kg in 2025. Medium Grown production fell 6% to 30.4 million kg, from 32.34 million kg in 2025, while Low Grown production declined by nearly 3% to 103.3 million kg from 106.49 million kg according to the SLTB, cited in the report.

Further, by tea type, Orthodox tea production fell by around 3% during the period, while CTC (Crush, Tear, Curl) production increased by almost 7%. Green Tea production also rose by 8%, according to the report.