COONOOR AUCTION -- 4 ::

My article in today's The New Indian Express -- Feb 1, 2015)::

SEVEN GRADES EXCEED Rs 200/KG IN COONOOR TEA AUCTION

Express News Service

Coonoor: Seven grades of Crush Tea Curl (CTC) tea from small-scale sector, popularly called ‘bought-leaf factories’, shot into high-price bracket of over ` 200 per kg at the fifth auction for 2015 conducted by Coonoor Tea Trade Association (CTTA).

Of them, Broken Orange Pekoe Fannings grade of Homedale Estate, auctioned by Global Tea Brokers, topped overall CTC market and leaf auctions when Mittal Tea Co bought it for ` 215.

The Red Dust grade of Darmona Tea Industry, auctioned by Paramount Tea Marketing, topped the Dust auctions at ` 207 and this was also the second highest price among CTC teas.

In the Leaf auction, Broken Pekoe of Darmona (` 206), Broken Pekoe of Homedale (` 204), Broken Orange Pekoe Fannings grade of Darmona (` 203) were the other grades which fetched over ` 200.

In the Dust auction, Pekoe Dust of Homedale Estate (` 206) and Super Red Dust of Darmona (` 205) were the other grades which fetched over ` 200.

“This is significant considering that the average price at this auction was only ` 79.35 per kg”, CTTA Chairman Ramesh Bhojarajan told Express on Saturday.

This photo I had taken earlier shows Prashant Menon (Homedale), Dinesh Raju (Darmona and Ramesh Bhojarajan (CTTA Chairman) 

and, this photo I had taken earlier shows Noor Mohammed (Paramount Tea Marketing) and Rajesh Gupta (Global Tea Brokers) tasting tea

COONOOR AUCTION -- 3 ::

FIVE GRADES CROSS RS 200/KG

Article in today's The New Indian Express by P S SUNDAR ::

This photo I had taken shows these three youth power in tea (l-r) Prashant Menon (Homedale), Dinesh Raju (Darmona and Ambukkal) and Ramesh Bhojarajan (CTTA Chairman).

PROMOTION -- 2 ::

                Some innovative strategies have been documented in this article published in Contemporary Tea Time Sept - Nov 2014::  P S SUNDAR

POLICY -- 2 ::

DEMONSTRATION FOR MINIMUM SUPPORT PRICE

My article in The New Indian Express today, Jan 22, 2015::  P S SUNDAR.

POLICY - 1 ::

TEA GROWERS URGE PM TO RE-CONSTITUTE TEA BOARD

BY P S SUNDAR

                    

              Tea growers have appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to re-constitute Tea Board and provide for electing the Chairman from the new members.

The term of the last Tea Board expired on March 31, 2014 but the new Board has not yet been constituted.  Likewise, the Board does not have a full-time Chairman for over a year now.

“Commerce Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has voiced her concern on Tea Board’s efficiency.   She has underlined the need to revamp the Board”, Samir Roy, President, National Federation of Small Tea Growers of India, Jalpaiguri, West Bengal, told me.

He had been a member of Tea Board for over 30 years.

Samir Roy

“Prime Minister Modi is showing direct concern on developing the tea industry.  Last month, at the meeting of Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs which he chaired, a sum of Rs 1,425 crore, including Rs 200 crore for small-scale sector, was allotted to tea industry based on Commerce ministry’s proposal.   Tea Board should utilise this fund before March 31, 2017, but there is neither a properly constituted Board nor full-time Chairman.  So, whether this will benefit the industry is doubtful”, he noted.

“We have, therefore, urged Prime Minister to re-constitute the Board immediately.   We have also urged him to amend the Tea Act to provide for electing the Chairman among members and appoint full-time IAS officer as Deputy Chairman.  As per present practice, Chairman is an IAS officer while members elect a Vice Chairman”, Roy added.

Although every top official I had spoken to In the past few months had confirmed that that the re-constitution of the Board and appointment of full-time Chairman would happen soon, rumours are afloat that all Commodity Board would be revamped as Directorate and a political bigwig would be appointed as Chairman of all these Directorates put together. 

"Politicians already have representation on the Board in the form of MPs and if need be, their number can be increased.  The Chairman has to be elected from among the members and the need of the hour is a strong Board that gives leadership to all segments of the industry", Roy noted. 

PRODUCTION - 2 :: 

INDIA PRODUCED LOWER TEA IN 2014

BY P S SUNDAR

                      India’s tea production in 2014 is now estimated to be some 17 million kg (mkg) lower than 2013.

This was the first time in recent years that India’s production had fallen over a previous year. 

“Tea Board’s official data has come up to November 2014. Our compilation places India’s tea production in the 11 months at 1127.21 mkg against 1143.27 mkg during Jan-Nov 2013”, Rajesh Gupta, compiler of ‘Global Tea Digest 2014’ told me.

Assam continued to top the country’s tea table.   “Assam produced 570.59 mkg but that was as much as 30.69 mkg less than 2013.  West Bengal gained 14.22 mkg to rise to 309.30 mkg but here, Darjeeling produced just 8.40 mkg -- as much as 18.29 mkg less than Jan-Nov 2013.  Overall, North Indian production dropped by 15.80 mkg to dip to 903.55 mkg”, Rajesh Gupta, said.

“In the South, Tamil Nadu produced the highest volume of 157.25 mkg but that was 4.41 mkg lower than Jan-Nov 2013.   Kerala produced 3.01 mkg more to reach 60.16 mkg.   Overall, South India lost 0.26 mkg to produce 223.66 mkg”, he said.

Preliminary estimates show that December production was also less.   In Nilgiris, production was down by 5.8 per cent compared to December 2013.   While Coonoor and Kullakamby regions reported marginally low production, Kundah and Ooty zones suffered higher crop loss due to low temperature.

As of now, industry sources estimate production in 2014 at 1183 mkg against 1200 mkg in 2013. 

COONOOR AUCTION -- 2 ::

HAT-TRICK BY DARMONA TEA INDUSTRY AT COONOOR AUCTION

BY P S SUNDAR

                    Darmona Tea Industry, ISO-certified small-scale bought-leaf tea factory in Aravenu hamlet of Kotagiri taluk, which had placed Nilgiris tea sector on global high-price map, has done a hat-trick by topping the auctions of Coonoor Tea Trade Association (CTTA) in all the three auctions held in 2015.

Darmona dust crush-tear-curl (CTC) tea grades, auctioned by Paramount Tea marketing (SI) P Ltd.,  have been fetching the highest prices week after week since the auctions for 2015 opened on Jan 2.  In the first auction, Darmona tea topped at Rs 216 per kg when the overall average price at the auction was Rs 71.83.  In the second auction, it topped at Rs 219 (auction average: Rs 72.71) and in the third which ended on Friday, Darmona fetched Rs 217 (Rs 77.81). 

I took this photo of Dinesh Raju, Managing Director, Darmona, showing some packs of his high-price fetching teas, at Aravenu ::

PROMOTION - 1 ::

PROMOTING TEA THROUGH INNOVATIVE METHODS

                             Herewith scan of my article published in The Assam Review & Tea News, Dec 2014 issue:: P S SUNDAR

NILGIRI TEA - 1 ::

"IF IT IS NILGIRI TEA, IT IS SAFE TEA"

BY P S SUNDAR 

                           Consumers of Nilgiri tea will henceforth have the satisfaction of drinking not just quality tea but ‘legally safe tea’, thanks to Tea Board making it mandatory for auctioneers to allow only those teas coming with declaration on using safe ‘Plant Protection Formulation’ (PPF).

                           “Tea Board has made this declaration mandatory effective from January 1, 2015. We are currently educating the manufacturers and growers on the permissible pesticides and other inputs. Based on this, effective from January 22, all auctions at Coonoor Tea Trade Association will allow only those teas which come with self declaration by manufacturers”, Tea Board Executive Director R Ambalavanan told me.

                           “The copy of such declaration will be handed over to the buyers who in turn will pass it on to their importers. Violation of these directives might lead to cancellation of licence for the party concerned”, he said.

                          Earlier, addressing an awareness meeting, he told manufacturers and growers to ensure that no chemical banned in India is used by them. “Tea Board will help you in fulfilling any norm in ensuring trade in legally safe tea. This will help producers get better market, especially abroad, and consumers safe tea”, he noted.

                         UPASI Tea Committee Chairman T Jayaram urged manufacturers to adhere to the new safety norms and benefit from increased marketing avenues.

                          The Director of UPASI Tea Research Foundation Dr B Radhakrishnan said, “In tea plantations in Nilgiris, pests are minimal compared to other areas. So, usage of chemicals is already minimal. We are advising the growers to use chemicals only when absolutely needed and that too in the right dosage”.

                        Tea Board Deputy Director C S Hariprakash noted that tea in South India already has pesticide residuals far less than the prescribed limit.

                       photo: Tea Board - UPASI TRF awareness programme on ‘Plant Protection Formulation’ in progress at Coonoor on Friday. (l-r): Dr Radhakrishnan, Ambalavanan, Jayaram and Hariprakash ::

COONOOR AUCTION - 1: 

PRICES RISE AT COONOOR TEA AUCTION

P S SUNDAR

               The encouraging trend seen at the opening auction for calendar 2015 of Coonoor Tea Trade Association last week continued in Sale No: 2 (Jan 8 & 9) with 82 per cent of the 16.91 lakh kg on offer being bought despite prices rising by a rupee a kg on the average. 

“Darmona Pekoe Dust grade, auctioned by Paramount Tea Marketing auctioneers, created new price record at Rs 219 a kg – the highest among all CTC teas in this auction as also 30-year factory highest for this grade.  It beat its own record of Rs 210 of last week”, Darmona Tea Industry’s Managing Director Dinesh Raju told me.

Broken Orange Pekoe Fannings grade of Homedale Estate tea, auctioned by Global Tea Brokers, topped CTC leaf market at Rs 214. In all, 10 CTC grades fetched ` 200 and more per kg and 109 marks Rs 125 and more.

Kairbetta topped orthodox market at Rs 265 a kg, followed by Kodanad Rs 252, Havukal and Glendale Rs 240 each, Chamraj, Rs 232, Highfield Estate Rs 226 and Coonoor Tea Rs 207. In all, 42 marks got Rs 125 and more per kg.

Quotations held by brokers indicated bids ranging Rs 40-44 a kg for plain leaf grades and Rs 90-160 for brighter liquoring sorts. They ranged Rs 45-54 for plain dusts and Rs 110-190 for brighter liquoring dusts.

There were some purchase for Pakistan for Rs 55-66 a kg and for CIS in a wide range Rs 55-115.

PRODUCTION - 1 ::

WORLD PRODUCED LOWER BLACK TEA IN 2014

BY P S SUNDAR

                 Contrary to earlier estimates showing an excess supply of black tea in global market in 2014, the latest compilations indicate production to be less by 8.02 million kg (mkg) compared to 2013.

“Official production data is available for most countries, including India, till November 2014.  Global black tea production dropped to 2019.13 mkg in 2014 from 2027.15 mkg in 2013”, Rajesh Gupta, compiler ‘Global Tea Digest 2014’ told me.

Production had fallen only in India and Uganda.  While Uganda lost 8.76 mkg to produce 30.38 mkg, North India contributed to the decline significantly. 

“Till November, India’s production dropped by 16.06 mkg to total 1127.21 mkg.  Production was down in both North and South.  North India lost as much as 15.80 mkg to dip to 903.55 mkg while South India lost 0.26 mkg to produce 223.66 mkg”, Gupta noted.

This is significant because in the recent past, year after year, India had been posting new record in tea production.   Preliminary estimates show that the production in December was also less than in 2013.   Industry sources now estimate that there will be nearly 17 million kg shortfall in 2014 over 2013.  

“Kenya gained 9.30 mkg to produce 400.03 mkg, Malawi 3.40 mkg to reach 43.04 mkg and Sri Lanka 2.52 mkg to total 312.29 mkg.   These increases were inadequate to offset the loss in India and Uganda”, Gupta added. 

FOR THE RECORD - 2 ::

'GLOBAL TEA DIGEST 2014' RELEASED

BY P S SUNDAR

                 The much sought-after storehouse of the latest statistical data and relevant encyclopedia, “Global Tea Digest 2014” (GTD) was released at the office of Global Tea Brokers (GTB) in Coonoor on Dec 29, 2014.

                  Annually, GTD free publication has become possible thanks to GTB.  

“This valuable document for decision making at the highest level bridges the hiatus in management information on tea industry and trade”, Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Managing Director of state-Government undertaking TANTEA A S Jafry told me after releasing GTD.

“This 172-page publication contains 96 Tables, 16 graphs and authentic information on tea tasting, glossary, grades, harmonised system coding and chronology of important developments”, Chairman of Coonoor Tea Trade Association Ramesh Bhojarajan, who received the first copy, said.

“This is our fourth volume.  As before, it is being issued free as our dedication to industry”, GTD publisher Rajesh Gupta, who is Managing Director of GTB, noted. 

“Global tea leaders have hailed our previous editions as the only publication of its kind”, GTB President N Sriram said.

“We update data from authentic global sources all through the year”, GTB Senior Manager Senthil Kumar added.

===========FASCINATING FACTS===========

Did you know that tea comes in the form of ball, brick or tablet?  The Central Board of Excise and Customs in Union Finance Ministry has accorded specific coding for such tea for taxation.

“As facts about tea are as fascinating as the very beverage, we have included such less-known authentic details in ‘Global Tea Digest 2014’ (GTD), just released and now under circulation worldwide”, GTD publisher Rajesh Gupta told me.

Tea was aristocratic drink in early years.  In 2737 BC, China’s emperor Shen Nung called tea as ‘divine healer’.  In Japan, during 648-749 AD, tea was expensive available only to top priests and royal family.  During Sung Dynasty in China, tea pottery was introduced to honour tea drinking.  And Japan introduced ‘tea ceremonies’ in 1422.  In 1635, tea became royal drink in Dutch courts.

 In 1622, when Charles II married tea drinking Catherine Braganza from Portugal, tea caught up and alcohol consumption declined in Europe! 

‘Afternoon Tea’ concept was introduced by 7^th Duchess of Bedford in early 19^th century when she used tea with cakes and sandwiches to overcome hunger between lunch and dinner!

Some tea tasting terminologies are queer – ‘brassy tea’ has metallic taste, ‘woody’ has saw-dust character, ‘nose tea’ has dry leaf smell and ‘fruity tea’ is ‘unpleasantly over-ripe’.

‘Gunpowder’ is young tea rolled into pellets.  ‘Handkerchief tea’ gets its name from Formosa Island growers using handkerchief to collect fine tea. ‘Meat tea’ is another term for ‘high tea’ working class in Britain enjoy.  ‘Russian tea’ is lemon tea.  There is also ‘pan-fried’ tea in Japan.

====================================== 

                         

                             Additional PCCF and TANTEA MD Jafry releasing GTD 2014::

                              Additional PCCF and TANTEA MD Jafry (right extreme) releasing GTD 2014 with CTTA Chairman Ramesh Bhojarajan (left extreme) receiving the first copy in the presence of (l-r) Sri Ram, Rajesh Gupta and Senthil Kumar:: 

                              Dedicating to the tea world::

                             And, this is the publication::

FOR THE RECORD - 1 ::

TEA BOARD CALENDAR 2015