COLOMBO, Jan 14: Sri Lanka tea prices rose at Tuesday’s auction, as brokers said reduced quantities boosted low-growns and the market showed renewed interest in teas from the temperate Nuwara Eliya region.

The expected gross sales average was $1.62 per kg, compared to Rs155.63 per kg last week, Forbes and Walker Tea Brokers said in a statement.

Even the below best and poorer types moved up in value, said Dimantha Jayasinghe, a broker at Forbes and Walker.

He said about 1.7 million kgs of low-grown tea was destroyed because of water damage in a grower’s warehouse, which created more demand.

Among low-growns, broken orange pekoes in the best and below best categories picked up two to three rupees, while some orange pekoes gained up to six rupees.—Reuters