Tea trade in Tripura to get facelift with launch of Tea Auction Centre

The tea industry in Tripura is set for a major transformation with the establishment of the Tea Auction Centre in Agartala.

The tea industry in Tripura is set for a major transformation with the establishment of the Tea Auction Centre in Agartala. Tripura will officially become the second state in India to establish its own Tea Auction Centre.

This strategic development is set to usher in a new era for the marketing and distribution of the high-quality tea produced in the state, which stands as the fifth largest tea producer in the country, with an annual output of approximately 9 million kilograms. Speaking on the launch, Samir Ranjan Ghosh, Chairperson, of Tripura Tea Development Centre, said "In Tripura, we are launching the Tea E-Auction Centre from Thursday. Our CM Manik Saha will inaugurate this. The history of Tea in Tripura is more than 100 years old. As I am asked about the quality of tea in Tripura, I would like to say that there was no procedure for measuring the quality of the tea in the past years. In 2018, after the establishment of the new government, the initiative was taken to develop the tea industry."

"In Tripura, there is annual production of made tea is about 9 million kgs with the 5th largest tea producer in the country after Assam, West Bengal, Tamilnadu and Kerala and more than 50 per cent of the produced tea is sold through Kolkata and Guwahati tea auction centre and rest quantity being sold in the private buyer as well as local market. So steps were taken to set up a tea e-auction centre in Agartala by the Tripura Tea Development Corporation Ltd," he said. The establishment of the Agartala Tea Auction Centre is a pivotal step towards addressing longstanding challenges such as high transportation costs and lengthy sales cycles that have historically impeded the sector's growth.

The decision to set up an e-auction centre, along with a dedicated warehouse for tea auctioning, was made during a departmental review meeting of the Industries and Commerce Department of the Government of Tripura. This initiative was supported by the Tripura Tea Development Corporation Limited (TTDCL) and received backing from the Tea Board of India, highlighting the national importance of this endeavour. The establishment of the Agartala Tea Auction Centre is anticipated to bring about several benefits, including enhanced profitability for sellers due to reductions in freight, warehousing, and sampling costs, and improved price discovery leading to better market valuations of Tripura tea.

Significant reductions in the sales cycle time by up to 40 per cent, thus freeing up working capital for producers, a 1-2 per cent increase in the price of made tea due to the streamlining of the sales process. Preparatory steps for the launch of the e-auction centre have been meticulously undertaken. These include stakeholder meetings with tea producers and sellers, identification and preparation of the necessary infrastructure at the former office of the Directorate of Industries and Commerce in Gurkhabasti, Agartala, and the allocation of warehousing facilities in Badharghat, Agartala.

Moreover, efforts are underway to engage an organizer and e-auctioneer to ensure the smooth operation of the auction centre. This initiative is aimed at enhancing the efficiency of tea sales and distribution, thereby benefiting both producers and buyers within and beyond the borders of Tripura. The Agartala Tea Auction Centre is poised to significantly impact the tea industry in Tripura, offering a beacon of hope for increased market access and profitability. This landmark initiative reaffirms Tripura's commitment to fostering growth and innovation in its tea sector, setting a precedent for other tea-producing regions in India. (ANI)

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