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Tea prices firm at Kochi auctions ahead of Onam holidays
Tea prices firmed up at the Kochi auctions this week, driven by robust demand ahead of the Onam holidays. With no sales scheduled next week, buyers moved to secure stocks, pushing up…
Tea prices firmed up at the Kochi auctions this week, driven by robust demand ahead of the Onam holidays. With no sales scheduled next week, buyers moved to secure stocks, pushing up prices for both CTC dust and orthodox leaf varieties.
At Sale 34, auctioneers Forbes, Ewart & Figgis reported strong demand for CTC dust. Of the 7,35,423 kg on offer, blenders accounted for 71 per cent of sales. Orthodox leaf saw 94 per cent of 2,56,527 kg sold, with average price realisation rising by ₹3 to ₹180 a kg from ₹177 last week. Whole-leaf orthodox teas were firm to dearer by ₹5 to ₹10 a kg, with CIS and Middle East buyers active.
Anil George Joseph, president of the Tea Trade Association of Cochin, said well-made whole-leaf grades saw good demand, while plainer varieties faced resistance. The market remained quality-driven, with steady buyer participation across segments.
Indian Opinion Analysis
The pre-Onam price uptick is a seasonal pattern, but this year's rise comes after a period of subdued prices that had squeezed small growers. Kerala consumes nearly 10 crore kg of tea annually, and Onam accounts for a significant chunk of that demand. The next auction on September 2 will show whether the rally holds once holiday buying fades. The key signal is exporter activity: if CIS and Middle East demand sustains, orthodox premiums may stay elevated into the winter flush.
Source: thehindubusinessline.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
