This week, at Sale Number 37 of the Kolkata tea auction, the average price of orthodox and CTC varieties were up compared with last week’s sale.
According to J. Thomas & Company Pvt Ltd, the tea auctioneers, the average orthodox price was Rs 225.61 (Rs 216.85) a kg and CTC Rs 143.01 (Rs 140.96).
An estimated 85.88 per cent (86.25 per cent) of orthodox and 80.41 per cent (80.48 per cent) of CTC volumes offered was sold.
The total offerings (packages) at the three auction centres at Kolkata, Guwahati and Siliguri were 4,35,559 compared with 4,21,962 in the corresponding sale (No. 37) of last year.
The offerings at Kolkata comprised CTC/dust 1,50,264 (1,41,939), orthodox 46,736 (29,777) and Darjeeling 11,122 (9,067). The offerings at two other centres handling mainly CTC/dust were: Guwahati 1,29,312 (1,38,295) and Siliguri 98,125 (1,02,884).
Assam CTC brokens were irregularly lower, while selected medium fannings met with enquiries from the exporters and sold at firm to dearer rates. Dooars were around last levels. Dust teas were generally firm except selected best sorts which eased. Tata Global was less active. Hindustan Unilever operated selectively for the medium CTC leaf but was more forceful in the dust catalogue. Western India operated actively for the liquoring teas. There were fair enquiries from other internal and local sections. Exporters operated on the larger brokens, fannings and pekoe dusts.