July 18, 2002	Thursday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 7, 1423

COLOMBO, July 17: Sri Lanka tea prices rose at the latest weekly auction on improved demand for all qualities, brokers said on Wednesday.

The anticipated gross sale average was Rs141.00 per kg, a jump of nearly Rs10 from last week’s average of 131.43 rupees, Forbes and Walker Tea Brokers said in a statement.

He said demand had improved in particular from the Commonwealth of Independent States, which buys mostly lower-end high-growns and a range of low-growns.

Among leafy teas, well-made pekoes sold well, with the best of them gaining five rupees, but flaky teas declined, the statement said.

There were 6.7m kgs on offer for sale this week. About 6.5m kgs of tea leaves were sold last week. Fernando said he expected demand to remain firm over the next few weeks.—Reuters