The Hindu Business Line : Nilgiri planters to hold speciality tea auction

As a first step in that direction, the Nilgiri Planters' Association (NPA), set up in 1891, is organising the world's first exclusive speciality tea auction in Coonoor on March 12.

According to Mr Titus Gerard Pinto, Chairman of the association, the event is being sponsored by the Tea Board and will be supported by the Coonoor Tea Trade Association.

Members of NPA would be offering approximately 2,500-3,000 kg of tea in the proposed auction. There will be 14 types of speciality teas such as white tea, silver tips, golden tips and super fine golden tips.

Association members, who hope to organise the auction every four months, expect that the volume of offerings will increase over time.

"We are starting off with a small quantity but we are confident of offerings of more than 5,000 kg in the second auction, which might be held in July," Mr Pinto told Business Line.

NPA wishes to develop this event into a major programme on the tea calendar. The members are considering roping in celebrities in future to promote the event.

"It will be somewhat like the wine festival in France. It will be a gala event where major buyers of speciality teas will participate. The event will also help in coming into contact with consumers directly," he said.

According to Mr Pinto, most of the NPA members have just started producing speciality teas. Cost of production of these teas is at least 10 times higher than the ordinary orthodox or CTC teas.

However, the speciality teas are expected to fetch a premium price of around Rs 800 - Rs 4,000 per kg. At present, the average price of Nilgiri tea is around Rs 50-70 per kg.

"Over the years, the brand value of Nilgiri teas has deteriorated drastically. Today, we are mostly producing fillers for tea blends. If we can develop speciality teas in good volume then we can push Nilgiri teas right to the top of the product basket," Mr Pinto explained.

Speciality teas have a good market in Germany, the UK and Japan. The association, which has already started contacting several global tea buyers, is expecting that 60 per cent of the buyers in the proposed auction will be agents of foreign agencies.

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