Good demand perked up prices of all varieties of tea at the Kochi tea auction last week. In Cochin Sale No. 49, the quantity on offer in the dust CTC category was 10,26,000 kg.
The market opened steady to firm and sometimes dearer by Rs 1 to Rs 2. The prices appreciated further as the sale progressed. Orthodox dust was fully firm to dearer and the bulk of offerings was absorbed by exporters. The quantity on offer was 15,500 kg.
In the best CTC dusts, PD varieties quoted at Rs 96/108, RD grades stood at Rs 104/114, SRD fetched Rs 106/114, while SFD stood at Rs 105/120.
Leaf sales also witnessed good demand and the quantity on offer in the Orthodox grades was 1,60,500 kg. The market for all varieties of Nilgiri was fully firm to dearer following quality.
Well made Clean Black Bolder Brokens, whole leaf and smaller brokens were steady to firm and sometimes dearer. Others were irregular and tended to ease.
The TFP grade noticed correction and declined with longer margins of Rs 10 to Rs 20 and sometimes more. The corresponding Fannings remained barely steady.
Of the 77,500 kg in the CTC leaf grades, the market for good liquoring brokens remained steady to firm. Others were irregular and tended to ease. Fannings were barely steady and were tending easier.
In the dust category, Injipara (Prm) SRD fetched the best price of Rs 131, followed by Injipara (Prm) RD at Rs 128. In the leaf grade, Chamraj FOP quoted the best price of Rs 271 followed by Chamraj OP at Rs 265.