By Firstdespatch Desk Dec 13, 2024
Agartala, Dec 13 (FD) Tripura Government is keen to make the first tea auction centre operational in the state by the next season as it would reduce the transportation cost and dispatch time to send their goods in the national market.
The department organised held its first Tea Buyers-Sellers meet at a private hotel here, which was attended by Tea Board of India and Tea Association of India and the Indian Auction Association among others.
Santana Chakma, The minister for Industrial Development said, “This is an unique meeting of this kind in the state, which assumes significance. Our Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha is interested for setting up of a tea auction centre in the state. If it becomes operational would reduce the transportation cost and dispatch time to send their goods in the national market”.
She also said that all have to work collectively to introduce Tripura tea in national arena.
“Now, we sell 50% of our teas in local markets and the rest in Calcutta and Guwahati. So, when the teas go outside naturally they do not get much importance. So, if we can auction our teas here we can be benefitted. I also urge the investors to visit our state and become a partner in the developments here”, Chakma added.
Taking a cue from the words of the minster, Chairman of the Tripura Tea Development Corporation, Samir Ghosh said, “We send our teas to Kolkata and Guwahati for auctioning, but do not get any priority. So, if our auction centre is opened here, we will be able to bargain”.
Sumanta Poddar, of the India Tea Association (ITA), asserted that Tripura tea is safe to drink as they use minimal range of pesticides.
Tea Board of India (TBI)'s Factory Advisory Officer (FAO), Agartala, C Bharathiraja also said that branding and promotion of tea are required for the betterment of the tea industry. 
An official of the Tripura Industrial Development Corporation said the Tea Board of India favors setting up of the tea auction centers in the state. It is likely that the auction centre would be setup at Dharmanagar, the last district of the state bordering Karimganj in Assam so that teas produced at Karimganj and Cachar districts also could be auctioned in the centre.
He said with the auction centre coming up, we will be able to save Rs. 3 to Rs.6 per kg and the transformation time would be reduced from 44 days to 29 days.
The Tripura government has five tea gardens and two factories and there are at least 54 gardens and many factories.
Tripura tea is also sent to different countries, like Kantar and many European states. Tripura produces about one lakh kg of furnished teas per year. FD JK