At  Sale Number 35 at Kolkata tea auction this week, the average tea prices remained virtually unchanged compared with last week (Sale No. 34). According to J. Thomas & Co Pvt Ltd, the tea auctioneers, this week the average price of CTC was Rs 143.48 a kg (Rs 143.67 a kg last week) and the average price of Orthodox was Rs 227.68 a kg (Rs 226.27). An estimated 78.31 per cent (69.3 per cent) of the CTC and 88.7 per cent (86.2 per cent) of Orthodox volumes offered were sold.

This week the total offerings (packages) at three North Indian auction centres — at Kolkata, Guwahati and Siliguri — were 4,77,946, compared to 4,06,124 in the corresponding sale (No 35) in 2012.

The offerings at Kolkata comprised CTC Dust 1,58,310 (1,48,327), Orthodox 45,118 (27,215) and Darjeeling 6,376 (7,994).

The offerings at two other centres, dealing mainly in CTC/Dust, were: Guwahati 1,52,104 (1,14,505) and Siliguri 1,16,038 (1,08,083).

Assam CTC teas met with improved demand at irregularly lower rates following quality. Dooars were barely steady around last levels. Tata Global was active. Hindustan Unilever operated selectively for the mediums. Western India operated actively for the liquoring teas. There was fair enquiry from other internal and local sections. Exporters operated on the larger brokens and fannings.