The fiscal 2011-12 has opened on a dismal note for tea producers with as much as 46 per cent of their offer of 12.07 lakh kg at April 1 auctions of Coonoor Tea Trade Association withdrawn for want of buyers even after shedding Rs 3 a kg. Teas worth Rs 3.94 crore remained unsold.

Vigneshwar speciality teas, auctioned by Paramount Tea Marketing, continued to top CTC market. “In all, our 11 grades got Rs 118 and more”, Vigneshwar Managing Partner, Mr Ramesh Bhojarajan, told Business Line .

Homedale Estate got Rs 143, Hittakkal Estate and Shanthi Supreme Rs 134 each, Sree Tea Supreme Rs 126, Professor and Blue Mont Special Rs 124 each and Sree Ram Supreme Rs 121. In all, 61 marks fetched Rs 100 and more.

Among orthodox teas from corporate sector, Curzon got Rs 174, Chamraj Rs 170, Havukal and Kairbetta Rs 163 each, Tiger Hill clonal Rs 160, Quinshola clonal Rs 158, Highfield Estate Rs 157, Glendale Rs 156 and Prammas Rs 155. In all, 45 marks got Rs 100 and more.

“Leaf grades suffered withdrawal even after shedding Rs 2-5 a kg for orthodox, high-priced and better medium CTC and Rs 2-3 for plainers. Orthodox dusts, however, gained Rs 2-5. High priced CTC dusts lost Rs 2-6, better mediums Rs 2-4 and plainers Rs 1-3”, an auctioneer said.

Export purchases were among the weakest of the recent weeks. Pakistan bought very selectively for Rs 56-77 a kg and the CIS, Rs 57-76.

Quotations held by brokers indicated bids ranging Rs 47-52 a kg for plain leaf grades and Rs 85-135 for brighter liquoring sorts. They ranged Rs 50-56 for plain dusts and Rs 85-134 for brighter liquoring dusts.

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