This week at Sale 14, total offerings (packages) at three North India auction centres at Kolkata, Guwahati and Siliguri were 34,345 compared with 44,925 in the corresponding sale of last year, according to J Thomas & Company Pvt Ltd, the tea auctioneers. At Kolkata, total offerings were 7,483, comprising 4,651 of CTC/Dust, 2,338 of orthodox and 494 of Darjeeling variety compared with 7,975 comprising 6,055 of CTC/dust, 1,815 of orthodox, and 105 of darjeeling in the corresponding sale of last year.

At Guwahati, the offerings were 5,020 (9,657) and at Siliguri 21,842 (27293).

The small weight of new season Assam CTC offerings met with good demand and generally sold between Rs 10 and Rs 20 higher than the same sale in the previous year.

Good Dooars sold between Rs 160 and Rs 180 while medium Dooars sold between Rs 130 and Rs 150, which were higher than the corresponding levels of the previous year. Old season Dooars and Assam varieties were irregularly lower in line with the decline in quality.

Western India and local dealers were active with fair support from other internal sections. Major blenders were quiet.

The small weight of new season orthodox invoices were readily absorbed and sold at premiums ranging between Rs 30 and Rs 35 over the previous year. Old season teas sold in line with quality. CIS and West Asian exporters were selective. Good support from internal and local dealers.

The small weight of darjeeling old season offerings sold in line with quality and were absorbed primarily by the internal sections with selective export interest.