Traders operating at Coonoor Tea Trade Association (CTTA) are concerned that teas worth about Rs 35 lakh are reportedly missing from a warehouse in Coonoor.

The issue has raised questions on the safety of the teas stored in warehouses and the surety of delivery of the teas bought at the auctions.

“Buyers, including exporters, have complained to us that when their transporters approached this warehouse to take delivery of the teas they had bought at the auction, the relevant teas were unavailable. So, we arranged for an inspection by our warehouses sub-committee which included an official of Tea Board. The warehouse has admitted that the tea is missing”, CTTA Chairman, Mr Pankaj Dani, told Business Line.

“We reckon that teas worth about Rs 35 lakh belonging to different factories stored in that warehouse is missing. This should mean that about 50,000 kg of warehoused tea is unavailable. We have suspended this warehouse from operating for our auctions,” he said.

“According to the rules, the warehouse has to pay a penalty of 30 per cent on the value of the unavailable tea. We have asked it to remit to CTTA the amount due,” he disclosed.

“Buyers are demanding refund or adjustment against future purchases of the money they have already paid for the unavailable tea.

Factories are also concerned about the safety of their warehoused tea. The trade needs to be reassured on the trustworthiness of CTTA auctions. So, we are seeking legal opinion to tighten the norms in the interest of the trade as a whole,” Mr Dani noted.

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