Date:13/03/2006 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2006/03/13/stories/2006031302570500.htm

Back Downtrend in Kochi tea sale

Our Bureau

Kochi March 12

Despite the good general demand at the dust tea sale, prices of high quality, medium and below medium CTC and orthodox grades gravitated lower by Rs 3 to 5 at the Kochi tea auction.

Exporters operated on the grainier CTC varieties within a price limit of Rs 55. There was 8,87,000 kg of dust tea of offer at the auction.

Best CTC varieties fell to Rs 57-67, while medium CTC quoted between Rs 50-55 and below medium ranged between Rs 43-47. High grown BOPD varieties fetched between Rs 105-110, while medium BOPD ranged between Rs 40-45, even as secondaries realised Rs 35.

There was a good general demand at the leaf tea sale where medium orthodox brokens and fannings remained steady.

Whole leaf grades eased by Rs 2- 4, while high growns remained barely steady. While the best quality high grown whole leaf grades remained easy by and large, most CTC varieties shed between Rs 3-5.

Best Nilgiri leaf tea brokens fetched between Rs 60-75, even as fannings quoted between Rs 55-101. Medium orthodox brokens realised between Rs 43-50, while fannings ranged between Rs 43-45. Best CTC leaf fell to Rs 50-55 levels, fannings were quoted between Rs 50-53. Medium CTC leaf ranged between Rs 45-48, even as fannings ranged between Rs 45-48.

The top prices at the dust auction were fetched by Kodanad BOPD at Rs 110, Parkside BOPD at Rs 105, Quinshola BOPD at Rs 110 and Pasuparai SFD at Rs 95. In the leaf segment, Chamraj OP realised Rs 107.75, Chamraj FOP at Rs 107, Havukkal FOP at Rs 102, while Havukkal BOPF were quoted at Rs 101.