BIZ-TEA-PRICES

CTC teas produced by bought leaf

factories (BLF) fetched the highest average price in a

Arunachal Pradesh district at Rs 191 a kilo during December

2018, according to Tea Board data.

Twa Board, however, did not disclose in which of the

16 Arunachal Pradesh districts the prices was highest.

Assam's highest price was more than West Bengal at

Rs 155.51 per kilo as against Rs 124 in the Darjeeling plains,

the data showed.

Highest prices in Tamil Nadu and Kerala were lower as

compared to north Indian BLFs, it said.

As per Indian Tea Association (ITA) estimates, the

proportion of production by BLFs and small growers were in

excess of 50 per cent which it felt would cause disruption in

the market.

In 2017 (Jan-Dec) small growers and BLFs produced 631

mkgs. almost half of total production of 1,348 mkgs.

In November 2018, West Bengal's production was lower

at 35.99 mkgs as against 37.08 mkgs in the same period of the

previous year.

Production during November also declined in south

India and Assam.