Prices firm at Kolkata tea sale

Baren Bhattacharya in Kolkata

FOLLOWING good offtake of CTCs by Hindustan Lever and good export inquiries for Orthodox, the local tea auction No 34 concluded in a firm note. The Darjeeling category witnessed lacklustre demand as rain teas started arriving.

The CTC teas, with a heavy offering of 39,755 packages, recorded good demand and 90 per cent of the offering was sold. The good Assam brokens dropped by Rs 2 a kg to Rs 78-90 a kg while some fannings ruled slightly higher at Rs 65-74 a kg. The medium Assam brokens and fannings sold almost at last levels. Prices of Dooars brokens and fannings eased by Rs 2 per kg. Hindustan Lever and Gujarat buyers lent good support for liquoring lines. Fannings was absorbed by continental buyers with good support from CIS countries.

A small quantity of rainy season Darjeeling tea was offered which met with poor demand with prices falling rapidly from the previous levels. The poor quality rain teas lost continental interest causing a massive decline in prices to Rs 175-525 per kg from last levels of Rs 350-800. These were absorbed mainly by the locals. The medium whole leaf were mostly unsold. Good fannings were lifted by continental shippers. Remaining brokens and fannings were consumed by the local buyers at Rs 20-30 a kg lower.

Orthodox sale met with good demand with 85 per cent teas out of 16,146 packages sold. Well-made wholeleaf sold at last levels up to Rs 150 per kg while best teas in common wholeleaf eased by Rs 5 a kg. All other categories including brokens and fannings sold almost at last levels.

CIS, Middle East and continental shippers absorbed good amount of teas with limited support from domestic buyers. Market opened to good general demand for 15,522 packages of dust teas with 80 per cent sold. Assam’s good lines eased in prices by Rs 1-5 a kg, sold at Rs 75-85 a kg. Medium sorts sold at Rs 60-67 a kg as against Rs 60-70 per kg. Dooars maintained at past levels. Export inquiries were witnessed on liquoring teas and larger dusts. Remaining teas were absorbed by packeters and domestic buyers.

Guwahati sale Demand fell moderately in the Guwahati sale No 34 with prices declining persistently.

There were 1,03,478 packages of CTC teas on offer and barely 70 per cent was consumed. Cleaner leaf and brighter teas sold irregularly at last levels while remaining teas on offer either became out-lot or sold at lower rates.

At the dust sale, 46,379 packages were offered and 70 per cent of them were sold. Barring a small quantity of bright liquoring dusts, which sold at around last levels, all other lines, including secondaries and medium sorts declined by Rs 2-4 a kg.