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Winter is harsh in the Nilgiris with night temperatures ruling to single digits and hovering around Minus 4 degrees Celsius in some interior places such as Korakundah for over a fortnight now.
However, this temperature has enhanced the ‘winter characteristics’ of high-grown Nilgiris winter tea, especially the green, orthodox and speciality varieties, which sell at a premium in the domestic and export market.
“In the ‘Nilgiri Winter Speciality Tea Auctions’ we had conducted in the past, some such exclusive grades had fetched over ₹10,000 a kg,” Mohamed Iqbal, Chairman, The Nilgiri Planters’ Association (NPA), said.
“There is increased demand for the winter speciality tea like Avataa Virgin (mild), Avataa Twirl (medium) and Avataa Long Ding Green tea (strong), White Tea, Oolong tea and Silver Tips, which we are currently manufacturing. These are priced on average at ₹4,000-6,000 a kg,” G Udayakumar, Avataa Bluegate Beverages at Billimalai Estate, told BusinessLine.
“The demand is more from discerning buyers who cherish the winter characteristics of favourable aroma, exquisite liquor and less moisture with high juice concentration, which enhances the drinking experience of such multiple-brewing tea grades,” he said.
Volumes up at saleAs the market remained closed on Thursday for Republic Day, the leaf auction scheduled for Thursdays will be held along with the Dust auction on Friday for Sale No: 4 of the Coonoor Tea Trade Association.
Totally, 10.60 lakh kg has been catalogued, just 2,000 kg more than last week’s offer.
Of this, 7.10 lakh kg belongs to leaf grades and 3.50 lakh kg, dust grades. As much as 9.80 lakh kg belongs to the CTC variety and only 80,000 kg to the orthodox variety.
In the leaf counter, only 41,000 kg belongs to the orthodox variety while 6.69 lakh kg is CTC. Among the dusts, only 39,000 kg belongs to orthodox while 3.11 lakh kg is CTC.
In the CTC Dust tea auction last week, Homedale Estate’s Peko Dust, auctioned by Global Tea Brokers, topped at ₹247, followed by Homedale Estate’s Red Dust, auctioned by Global Tea Brokers (₹237), Vigneshwar Speciality (₹210) and Homedale Estate’s Super Red Dust, auctioned by Global Tea Brokers (₹205).
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