Prices of both the Orthodox and CTC tea varieties increased at this week’s auction held in Kolkata, according to J Thomas & Company Pvt Ltd., the tea auctioneers.

The average price of Orthodox was at Rs 252.37 (Rs 239.32) a kg and that of CTC at Rs 154.13 (Rs 146.98). An estimated 93.34 (93.03 per cent) of Orthodox and 72.41 per cent (61.85 per cent) of CTC volumes offered were sold.

This week, the total offerings (packages) at three North Indian auction centres at Kolkata, Guwahati and Siliguri were 2,99,613 compared with 2,64,710 in the corresponding sale (No. 26) of last year.

The offerings at Kolkata comprised CTC/Dust 91,069 (1,00,214), Orthodox 31,445 (15,406) and Darjeeling 6,754 (4,960). The offerings at two other centres mainly handling CTC/Dust were: Guwahati 87,624 (77,912) and Siliguri 87,721 (66,218).

Liquoring Assam CTC teas continued to meet with strong enquiry and sold at attractive rates. Assams with improved quality were firm to dearer. Dooars sold irregularly lower.

Tata Global operated selectively on the liquoring sorts. Hindustan Unilever operated on the mediums.

Orthodox tippy whole leaf grades were readily absorbed . Bolder whole leaf, BPS grade and smaller brokens were irregular around last while the remaining whole leaf, broken and fanning grades were firm to dearer.

CIS and West Asia shippers were active.

Continental buyers operated on the tippy sorts. North India buyers operated on the bolder whole leaf grades.

Limited weight of Darjeeling teas with improved quality were readily absorbed. Brokens and fannings were readily absorbed at dearer rates.

Tata Global and Hindustan Unilever were selective. Traditional exporters operated for few improved teas.

santanu.sanyal@thehindu.co.in

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