Brokers are advising producers of orthodox teas to stick to quality right from the start of the ensuing season beginning in April as importers are indicating limited preferences for Indian teas.

“The demand for plainer teas will not appreciate any further. We have requested all producers to ensure supply of clean black well-sorted grades right from the beginning of the new season”, Mr Subodh Paul, Director of Contemporary Brokers P Ltd in Kolkata, told Business Line.

“Already this week, demand was selective and confined to garden and grade specific in the auctions in Kolkata. Only the cleaner lines could be sold firm. Those with stalk, fibre and brown leaf were difficult to sell. Secondary grades were less in demand and there were withdrawals”, he said.

This week, the best offer of North Indian orthodox teas was Rs 170-200 a kg while their South Indian counterparts got Rs 100-120. On the lower end of the market, North Indian grades got Rs 80-90 while South Indian grades got Rs 70-80.

The CIS has been the major buyer of orthodox teas this week with West Asian countries being selective. In the home market, Punjab buyers were scouting for longer whole leaf grades.

On the global front, supply has further tightened with erratic weather lowering the crop in Sri Lanka and dry weather reducing the output in Indonesia. Less sunshine has hit South Indian supplies, while there is no production in North India with Assam, Dooars-Terai and Cachar having closed operations. Kenya is also reporting lower crop due to less rainfall. Vietnam and China have closed their season. But Argentina is posting a steady crop.

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