Tea markets closed ISO Week 13 with prices still largely influenced by quality, buyer selectivity, and disciplined exporter behavior rather than any broad increase in demand. Reports from the current week suggest a generally stable but uneven market across all major auction centers, with strength mainly in well-produced teas and growing pressure on secondary descriptions.

Colombo (Sri Lanka) Prices averaged $3.21/kg this week, ↓ -$0.02/kg from the previous week, reflecting fair demand but softer performance in parts of the premium and Ex-Estate catalogs amid increased offerings.

North India (Kolkata / Siliguri / Guwahati) Prices averaged $1.88/kg, ↑ +$0.09/kg, supported by stronger demand and improved Tea Board benchmark averages.

Mombasa (Kenya / East Africa) Prices averaged $2.21/kg, ↓ -$0.01/kg, reflecting steady but slightly easier conditions with unsold volumes in key grades.

Indonesia Prices averaged $2.41/kg, ↑ +$0.01/kg, supported by improved demand and tighter offerings.

Across the tea lands pricing was mixed. Clearance remains orderly but selective, with persistent unsold volumes in East Africa and uneven performance across Colombo catalogues.

Visit www.teajourney.pub and select Tea Price Report for a detailed regional breakdown, six-month trade signals, and a near-term outlook for Q1 pricing dynamics. | (https://teajourney.pub/tea-price-report/) | Podlink signup: https://pod.link/1549975153

World Tea Expo was once the center of gravity for the specialty tea trade in North America—a place where retailers, importers, and producers aligned around a shared vision of quality, origin, and education.

In 2026, that center has shifted.

The show floor is busier. The audience is broader. Matcha and Japanese green tea suppliers were highly visible thanks to Government-backed export programs. The Tea Board-sponsored pavilions from past years, representing Sri Lanka, India, and Africa, were not. Lipton Tea made its first appearance at the show with foodservice offerings. Innovation is increasingly shaped by trends in café and beverage service.

But beneath the energy is a structural question:

When a trade show grows by changing its audience, does it also change its purpose?

For some exhibitors, this is an expansion.

For others, it is displacement.

And for the industry, it may mark the beginning of a new phase—where tea no longer defines the room, but competes within it.

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One Year After Tariffs: The Tea Industry’s Costly Lesson | ONTHEFLOOR at World Tea Expo l Regulatory Shock: EU Tightens MRL Enforcement

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