Guwahati, Dec 21 (KNN) The Assam tea has set a new record of sales value of nearly Rs 2,300 crore during the fiscal year 2023-2024 at the Guwahati Tea Auction Centre (GTAC).

According to the official GTAC data, approximately 115 million kg of tea was sold at an average price of Rs 198.51 per kg.

As per reports, Dinesh Bihani, Secretary of the Guwahati Tea Auction Buyers Association (GTABA), shared insights, highlighting the success of the special tea named Golden Needle, which set a record by being sold at Rs 61,000 per kg this year.

As the tea production season for the year concludes, Bihani stated, "From April 1 to the first week of December, approximately 115 million kg of tea were sold at an average price of Rs 198.51 per kg. Last year, during this period, we sold 114.50 million kg of tea at an average price of Rs 201.14 per kg."

He expressed optimism about obtaining more tea in the upcoming days.

Despite selling a slightly higher quantity of tea this year, Bihani mentioned that the average price witnessed a decline. He also addressed the challenges posed by climate change and global events impacting the tea industry.

"Collaborative efforts with tea researcher associations and stakeholders are underway to address these challenges and minimise their impact on the industry," he informed.

Bihani informed about the upcoming bi-centenary Assam Tea International Conference to be organised by the Assam government, Tea Board, and other stakeholders in Guwahati on 29 and 30 January.

According to Tea Board data, Indian tea production from January to October slightly decreased to 1163.06 million kg compared to the previous year's 1166.34 million kg.

Additionally, tea exports from January to September amounted to 157.92 million kg, slightly lower than the 166.11 million kg exported during the same period last year.

(KNN Bureau)