The Hindu Business Line : Mixed trend at Kochi tea sale

Good liquoring varieties found demand and price support among the buyers at the dust sale of Kochi tea auction. While finer CTC varieties remained irregularly dearer, prices of bolder CTC varieties tended to ease.

Price of high grown orthodox and medium varieties tended to ease. Blenders lend support to premium varieties, even as upcountry buyers remained less active and exporters were selective. There was 9.6-lakh kg of dust tea on offer at the auction.

Best CTC varieties commanded Rs 54-65, medium CTC Rs 47-50 and below medium Rs 41-50. High grown BOPD varieties quoted Rs 100, medium BOPD Rs 42-45 and secondaries Rs 38-40.

Leaf sale

Good general demand propped up the price of medium orthodox brokens, primary brokens and whole leaf grades to last week's levels. Price of fannings tended to ease. High grown orthodox bolder varieties were steady to dearer by Rs 2-3, while the price of smaller brokens and fannings eased by Rs 2-3. CTC varieties witnessed less demand, tending to fall by Rs 2-5. Exporters remained selective on high grown orthodox varieties.

Best Nilgiri varieties commanded between Rs 75-95, medium orthodox ranged at Rs 46-50, while plain orthodox was not quoted at all. Medium CTC leaf commanded Rs 41-43, even as best CTC varieties were not quoted.

Top quotations

Kodanad BOPD commanded the top price among the dust varieties at Rs 100, followed by Pasuparai FD Rs 85, Pasuparai SFD Rs 77 and Pasuparai GD at Rs 71. Among the leaf varieties, Chamraj OP quoted the highest price at Rs 112, followed by Kairbetta FP at Rs 108, Chamraj FOP Rs 108 and Glendale FPS at Rs 107.