Price of Nepali tea booms in Indian market post lockdown; boosts prospects of producers

Post lockdown, the price of Nepali tea has soared in the Indian markets. This hints towards an increase in the demand and consumption cycle. Nepali tea producers are helping to fill in the gap caused by the fall in tea production in West Bengal due to heavy rainfall. 

Tea prices increase 

According to the reports by ANI, the cost of tea before lockdown was Rs. 200/kg. However, now this has gone up to Rs 400. Green leaves of tea which earlier used to sell at Rs 10 kg are now being sold at Rs 50 per kg. Bishnu Neupane, the owner of Jagdamba Tea Processing said, “In post lockdown, our tea grain and leaves are getting a better price. In the last three months, we are exporting tea grains and leaves in large amounts, in comparison to other times. The price of our products has also increased." Also, data from the customs suggests that Nepal has exported tea leaves and grains of about Rs 147 crores. Over 51 lakh kg of tea grains and leaves were exported to India from mid-June to mid-September.

Read: Bring Innovation To Attract More Buyers: Tea Board Chairman Tells Guwahati Auction Centre

In a recent development, Tea Board Chairman Prabhat Bezbaruah called for innovation to bring in more consumers to the Guwahati Tea Auction Centre (GTAC). The centre has recently completed 50 years of its operations. He said, “The centre enjoys a locational advantage and it should now convert this into a transactional advantage. This is a business organisation which is involved in the sale of tea, and it should innovate regularly to attract more buyers”.

Read: Two North Bengal Tea Gardens To Reopen Sunday

He added that there has been a rise in the price of tea and this is due to the decrease in production. Also, he admitted that not much innovation has taken place in the industry. He said, “E-auction has been introduced in the GTAC but it is just a replica of the manual transaction, and there is a need for introducing and promoting far-reaching modifications which will fetch better prices”. 

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