More Stories

Informist, Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2025

 

KOLKATA – The world's largest crush, tear, curl tea auction centre at Guwahati in Assam sold 76.94 million kg of tea in the first five months of the financial year 2025-26 (Apr-Mar), registering volume growth of 19.7% on year though prices of the tea produced by a mechanised process fell on an annual basis.

 

The Guwahati Tea Auction Centre sold 72.70 million kg of the crush, tear, curl, or CTC, tea during Apr-Aug, against 62.11 million kg a year ago. However, prices fell 11.4% on year to INR 223.30 per kg. A total of 4.24 million kg of orthodox tea, which is produced by the traditional method, was auctioned at an average price of INR 279.08 a kg, against the auction of 2.18 million kg, which was sold at an average price of INR 267.88 per kg, the auction centre said in a statement.

 

The centre said the fall in price was on account of a high base. In 2024, tea prices at the auctions were higher as the crop was smaller. "The shortfall in 2024, combined with the Tea Board India's decision to announce early closure of production from November 30, led to higher auction prices throughout last year, with the market shooting up until October 2024," Dinesh Bihani, secretary of the Guwahati Tea Auction Buyers Association, said in the statement. "If we compare with the 2023 season, which was a normal crop year, average CTC and Dust (tea) prices are up by INR 17.94 per kg."

 

The crop in Assam--India's leading tea-producing state--was 25.90 million kg short in the first five months of FY25. The state's tea production declined to 375.57 million kg in FY25 from 401.47 million kg in FY24. In FY26, Assam's tea crop is expected to increase 20–25%, the Guwahati Tea Auction Centre said.

 

At the auction centre, a total of 40.86 million kg of teas were sold at prices above INR 200 per kg, accounting for 56% of overall sales. "These fetched an impressive average price of INR 272.13 per kg, with an unsold outlot percentage of only 29%," Bihani said. "In contrast, 31.65 million kg of teas were sold below the INR 200 level, making up 44% of sales, at a much lower average price of INR 160.76 per kg and with a significantly higher unsold outlot percentage of 43%."

 

An outlot refers to a lot that receives no bids and remains unsold at the scheduled auction. These unsold tea lots are eligible for reoffering in a future auction catalogue, giving sellers another chance to find buyers. Usually, such outlots occur when market conditions are unfavourable, the asking price is too steep, or buyers are not interested in that particular lot.  End

 

Reported by Avishek Rakshit

Edited by Rajeev Pai

 

For users of real-time market data terminals, Informist news is available exclusively on the NSE Cogencis WorkStation.

 

Cogencis news is now Informist news. This follows the acquisition of Cogencis Information Services Ltd. by NSE Data & Analytics Ltd., a 100% subsidiary of the National Stock Exchange of India Ltd. As a part of the transaction, the news department of Cogencis has been sold to Informist Media Pvt. Ltd.

 

Informist Media Tel +91 (22) 6985-4000

Send comments to feedback@informistmedia.com

 

© Informist Media Pvt. Ltd. 2025. All rights reserved.