The Hindu Business Line : Improved demand at Coimbatore tea auctions

The total offerings of tea at the Tea Trade Centre in Coimbatore amounted to 6.35 lakh kgs of which the leaf grades totalled 2.90 lakh kgs and the rest was of the dust.

There was fair demand for the orthodox leaf.

The best Nilgiris orthodox leaf witnessed improved enquiries, tended dearer while others remained generally irregular.

CIS exporters operated selectively. Buyers for the Iraq market operated on medium teas.

Internal buyers and few exporters were active in buying orthodox dust.

There were limited enquiries from upcountry buyers for the brighter liquoring CTC leaf.

HLL showed selective interest on medium teas.

Pak support

Pakistan exporters extended support for better-made teas. CIS exporters operated on bolder grades at lower levels.

Medium/Plainer bolder grades and medium brokens quoted lower by Re 1 to Rs 2 with some withdrawals, while others remained irregular. The blacker and grainer sorts, however, recorded dearer rates.

There was improved demand from internal traders and the market for high priced CTC dust grades (especially well made).

Medium CTCs were fully firm to dearer, the plainer sorts ruled firm.

While AVT was selective on liquoring teas, Indcoserve was absent. Pakistan exporters looked for clean black well-made teas.

The orthodox high grown was quoting between Rs 72 and Rs 89, while the best CTC grades quoted far lower between Rs 48 and Rs 51.

Quality CTC dust ranged in the Rs 52 - 59 price band.