The Hindu Business Line : Lower tea volumes on offer at Coonoor sale

The volume of teas offered for sale at the auctions of the Coonoor Tea Trade Association (CTTA) to be held on Thursday and Friday will be 71,000 kg lower than last week, but it will still be the fourth largest volume to be offered here so far this year.

This is the 27th sale during the year. A volume of 11.49 lakh kg has been catalogued. Of this, some 7.97 lakh kg belong to the leaf grades and 3.52 lakh kg to the dust grades.

Some 10.92 lakh kg belong to the CTC variety and 0.57 lakh kg to the orthodox variety.

Among the leaf grades, CTC teas account for 7.71 lakh kg and the orthodox variety for 0.26 lakh kg. Among the dust grades, CTC teas account for 3.21 lakh kg, while the dust grades account for 0.31 lakh kg.

Rise in average price

However, compared to the corresponding sale of last year, the volume is some six lakh kg lower. Then, the leaf grade alone totalled 13.63 lakh kg. The average price last year was only Rs 29.15 a kg. Now, the average price is Rs 46.

Increased demand from exporters and upcountry buyers looking for quality teas has been instrumental in the prices remaining high despite the volume rising week after week.

Last week, the teas generally fetched Rs 2 more per kg than the previous week.

The well-made medium CTC leaf brokens were dearer by Rs 2 a kg, while the plainer sorts dearer, but the browner ones were irregular. Bolder brokens saw improvements.