The Hindu Business Line : Tea price up, volume down at auction centres

According to the provisional figures available with the Tea Board, the average price at all the eight auction centres in the country in the ten months this year rose by Rs 9 a kg over the same period last year to reach Rs 66.50 a kg. Each centre posted an increase in price.

North Indian auctions fetched an average price of Rs 73.10 - Rs 9.60 more than last year. But, the price increase could come only with the volume sold being reduced to 252.7 million kg from 282.3 million kg.

South Indian auctions registered an increase of Rs 8.38 a kg over last year to touch Rs 51.04 a kg. This volume sold was lower at 107.92 million kg against 116.23 million kg.

Lowest price average

Of all the eight auction centres in the country, Teaserve posted the lowest price average of Rs 47 a kg. But, this marked an increase of Rs 11.58 over last year. The volume sold reduced marginally to 11.2 million kg from 11.5 million kg.

The auctions of the Coonoor Tea Trade Association recorded the next lowest price of Rs 48.42 a kg, but this showed the highest increase of Rs 12.62 over the last year, among all the auction centres in the country. The volume sold dropped to 31.35 million kg from 36.2 million kg.

Kochi recorded the highest price average of Rs 54.31 — Rs 4.65 more than last year. But, the volume sold fell to 47.79 million kg from 51.57 million kg. The other centre, Coimbatore, posted an increase of Rs 8.45 to reach an average price of Rs 49.41 a kg. It was the only centre in the country where the volume sold increased this year.