Coonoor tea prices ease on low demand

For the third consecutive week, Homedale Estate tea auctioned by Global Tea Brokers, topped CTC market in Coonoor Tea Trade Association auctions. At Sale No: 7, it fetched Rs 152 a kg. “Our Broken Orange Pekoe Fanning (BOPF) was bought by Raj Traders for Rs 152. Our Pekoe Dust (PD) topped Dust market when Jeevitha Traders bought it for Rs 146. In all, our 10 grades got Rs 126 and more,” Homedale Managing Partner, Mr Prashant Menon, told Business Line.

Vigneshwar Estate got Rs 140, Shanthi Supreme (Rs 137), Darmona Estate (Rs 136), Blue Monte Estate special and Hittakkal Estate (Rs 135 each), Shanti Supreme (Rs 133), Deepika Supreme and Sree Tea Supreme (Rs 132 each) and Kannavarai Estate (Rs 130). In all, 89 marks fetched Rs 100 and more.

orthodox teas

Among orthodox teas from corporate sector, Highfield Estate teas, auctioned by Contemporary Tea Auctioneers, topped. “One line of our Broken Orange Pekoe Dust (BOPD) Supreme was bought for Rs 174 by Bhansali and Co, Coimbatore, and another line, by Ganesh Enterprises, Coonoor, for the same price,” said Mr Benjamin Bino, Highfield Manager.

Singara Estate got Rs 168, Prammas (Rs 167), Havukal (Rs 166), Curzon and Erinkadu (Rs 162 each), Quinshola clonal (Rs 159), Kairbetta (Rs 156), Tiger Hill clonal (Rs 151) and Parkside Rs 150. In all, 35 marks got Rs 100 and more.

Teas worth Rs 1.24 crore remained unsold with 17 per cent of the 9.88 lakh kg on offer withdrawn.

“Orthodox leaf gained Rs 2-4 a kg. CTC leaf lost Rs 1-3. Primary orthodox dust lost sharply up to Rs 20. CTC leaf market was irregular oscillating Rs 2-3 up and down,” an auctioneer said. Export purchases were weak. Pakistan bought selectively in a wide range of Rs 50-100 a kg and the CIS, Rs 47-74. Quotations held by brokers indicated bids ranging Rs 47-54 a kg for plain leaf grades and Rs 80-135 for brighter liquoring sorts.