Medium lines steady at Kolkata tea sale

Baren Bhattacharya in Kolkata

All medium lines recorded a steady note at the Kolkata sale no. 35 while better garden teas continued to stagger at lower levels. The demand position, however, remained generally good on sustained domestic buying.

At the CTC sale, where 38,637 packages were put up for sale, 85 per cent was sold. There was improved offtake from Hind Lever. Moreover, CIS shipper’s coverings led the prices of the medium Assam brokens and fannings rule at last levels of Rs 65-72 per kg and Rs 58-64 a kg respectively.

The prices of good Assam brokens as well as fannings, on the other hand, fell a tad by Re 1 a kg over the last levels of Rs 78-88 and Rs 64-74 per kg respectively. Better Dooars brokens sold at dearer levels by Rs 2 at Rs 62-72 a kg while fannings prices suffered a sharp fall at Rs 56-62 a kg from Rs 57-68 a kg. Apart from Hind Lever and CIS, Gujarat buyers lifted good liquoring teas with other domestic sections lending good support.

Lacklustre demand was recorded for the whole leaf teas in Darjeeling category while brokens sold at last levels. There was an offering of 7,882 packages of Darjeeling teas which met with good demand following the increased interests from the local buyers. Barring some UK purchases, there was hardly any export enquiry. Few good lines of whole leaf sold at last levels, while all whole leaf continued to sell at lower rates at Rs 400-600 per kg and medium sorts quoted at Rs 120-160 per kg. The brokens continued to remain firm at Rs 70-105 per kg on North Indian interests while the fannings lifted by domestic buyers at irregularly lower rates by Rs 56-72 per kg.

Market opened to a good demand for 15,982 packages of dust tea with 85 per cent being sold. Good liquoring dusts prices declined by Rs 2 per kg at Rs 72-80 a kg while medium sold at a dearer rates of Rs 60-66 per kg as against Rs 58-65 per kg. Gujarat and Hind Lever were major takers while other internal section offered good support.

Guwahati sale
There were 91,580 packages of CTC tea on offer at the Guwahati sale last week. The prices of all Assam CTCs suffered a fall by Rs 2-3 per kg over the last levels. Medium Assam smaller brokens and fannings met with less enquiry and were withdrawn.

Eveready opted for fair quantity of teas with selected supports from Godfrey Phillips, Tata Tea and Hind Lever.

The dust teas with an offering of 46,379 packages witnessed an improved demand at 70 per cent from the earlier 65 per cent. Tata Tea and Hind Lever absorbed fair amount of the offering with good support from Gujarat buyers.