The Hindu Business Line : Coonoor tea prices up by Rs 2

Coonoor tea opened 2007 on a happy note as the first auctions of the Coonoor Tea Trade Association (CTTA) held here posted an increase of Rs 2 a kg over the last auctions of 2006.

For the fortnight gap in sale, the volume offered was low — 11.29 lakh kg — and this came at a time when the offerings of the North Indian teas have tapered due to winter closures.

Good demand

"Good demand was seen for brighter teas whose quality invoices fetched good prices.

Better medium CTC leaf grades got Rs 1-2 a kg more.

Brokens fetched Rs 3 more. Liquoring brighter bolder brokens sold substantially dearer.

Strong demand prevailed for the improved offerings on the whole leaf varieties of orthodox leaf grades.

BOPFs were dearer by Rs 3-4. Strong demand was seen on the range of CTC dusts.

Medium bolder dusts were dearer up to Rs 2. Lesser high grown orthodox dusts also sold dearer following quality.

Clean secondaries sold dearer by Rs 3-4", an auctioneer told Business Line.

Fibrous and flaky brokens, however, suffered discounts of Rs 3-4 a kg.

Plainer CTC leaf grades suffered withdrawals for want of bids.

Among the corporate buyers, Hindustan Lever Ltd (HLL) operated on better medium sorts. Western India buyers preferred quality teas in both dust and leaf grades. Karnataka buyers were active on orthodox dusts.

Exports

On the export front, Pakistan showed interest on select lines of well made teas which it bought for around Rs 47 a kg. CIS importers confined their purchases to bolder sorts for which, they paid around Rs 45.

Among the CTC teas from bought-leaf factories, Darmona Estate got the highest price of Rs 90 a kg.

Homedale Estate got Rs 86.90, Highfield Estate Special Rs 84.25 and Vigneshwar Estate 83.69, Professor Rs 80.04.

Orthodox

Among the orthodox teas from the corporate sector, Kodanaad got the highest price of Rs 134.55 a kg, followed by Tiger Hill Rs 131.01, Curzon Rs 130, Mailoor Rs 127.05, Kairbetta Rs 127.03, Chamraj Rs 124.05, Corsley Rs 122.03, Glendale Rs 110.99, Havukkal and Greendale Rs 100.

Quotations held by the brokers indicated bids ranging Rs 40-42 a kg for the plain leaf grades and Rs 62-68 for the brighter liquoring sorts.

They ranged Rs 40-42 for the plain dust grades and Rs 64-80 for the brighter liquoring sorts.