Asia Siyaka Commodities said a review of latest export data shows that value-added teas were declining while shipments in bulk had gone up.
"A review of the different segments that make up exports reveals a disturbing trend," they said in a report.
During the first quarter 2011 a total of 77.4 million kilos were exported compared with 70.2 kilos in the same 2010 period.
Bulk tea exports in the first quarter of 2011 had declined to 40 percent of the total from 55 percent a year ago while packet tea increased to 49 percent from 28 percent.
Tea bags rose to a "healthy" nine percent in the quarter from six percent a year ago, the brokers said.
In June 2010 Sri Lanka Customs' definition of a tea packet was changed from three kilos to include packages up to 10 kilos.
Since July, however, exports in bulk form as a percentage of total shipped in each month has risen, Asia Siyaka Commodities said.
"Correspondingly, teas in packets and tea bag exports have been declining."
In August bulk tea comprised 43 percent of exports, packets 47 percent and tea bags eight percent.
Tea exports have been affected in recent months owing to unrest in the Middle East, a big market for Sri Lankan tea.
The government has been trying to encourage more exports of value-added teas and has discouraged bulk exports by imposing a tax on the latter.
Sri Lanka has also been lobbying countries like Russia, its biggest market, which has imposed higher taxes on value-added tea imports.
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