COONOOR AUCTIONS - 9 :

COONOOR TEA AUCTION  AVERAGE PRICES SCALES THREE-YEAR HIGH – CROSSES Rs 100/KG MARK

BY P S SUNDAR

                     A new chapter was opened in the auctions of Coonoor Tea Trade Association (CTTA) at Sale No: 4 which concluded on Friday with the average price crossing ` 100/kg mark for the first time in three years.

For the first time in the history of the 53 year-old Association, average prices crossed ` 100/kg mark in 2013 reaching ` 104.11/kg at Sale No: 10 on March 8.   The average price continued to rule above ` 100/kg for eight weekly auctions till April 26.  In between, the average price rose to an all-time high of ` 110.70/kg at Sale No: 12 on March 21.   This was significant because 2013 was CTTA’s Golden Jubilee year.

This level continued to remain unbeaten in any of the auctions held in subsequent weeks all through 2013, 2014 and 2015.   On the contrary, prices nosedived following inadequate demand at high bids when the volume offered was more.   Consequently, the average price in the whole of calendar 2013 was ` 89.32/kg, in 2014, ` 73.01 and in 2015, ` 72.43.

Since the last quarter of 2015, prices have been rising due to increase in demand and 2016 opened with the average price ruling ` 90.41/kg. This rose to Rs 95.14 in the next auction and further to ` 97.05 last week.  Now, at the fourth auction for 2016, prices have averaged ` 102.88/kg.  This time last year, average price was only ` 78.78/kg.

“This is a welcome development because we have been suffering from suppressed price last couple of years.  Prices have risen to this high level as there is shortage of tea in North India where auctions have been cancelled for some six weeks and factories are closed for want of leaves for processing.   We are seeing increased demand from upcountry buyers pushing up the prices.  We expect the market to remain buoyant at least till March end because volumes of North Indian tea are not expected to hit the market till then”, CTTA Chairman L C Singhania told me.

However, the low volume on offer is causing concern to the manufacturers.  “Prices are no doubt good but the volume offered this week was the least in two years.  Factories do not have green leaf for processing and are working only for four days a week and that too in single shifts. Our production has fallen by 60 per cent and to that extent, our realisation has also crashed despite average prices crossing ` 100/kg.   We are also concerned that the demand for our top quality high-grown winter teas is inadequate at high bids.  We are waiting for prices for these teas to rise by at least ` 20/kg more than the current levels”, Ramesh Bhojarajan, President, The Nilgiris Bought Leaf Tea Manufacturers’ Association, said.

“We are also worried that there is less of tea leaf for harvest.  Frost in some fields and the continuous mist for most part of this winter has affected the healthy growth of the tea bushes.  Although the higher price at the auction may lead to increase in the price of our green leaf purchased by factories, the take-home money for us will be less because of low volume supplied by us”, H Thiagarajan, President, Nilgiris Small Tea Growers’ Association, said.

At Sale No: 4 this week, despite the prices rising to new high, 91 per cent of the offer of was bought due to increased demand but because of low offer, the overall realisation crashed to ` 6.77 crore – the least since April 2, 2015. 

(response can also be sent to: pssundar.coonoor@gmail.com)

SPECIALITY TEA -1 :

MIST ENHANCING FLAVOUR OF NILGIRI TEA THIS WINTER

BY P S SUNDAR

(article in The Hindu Business Line,  January 13, 2016).

(response can also be sent to: pssundar.coonoor@gmail.com)

MILESTONE - 3:

CREATING DEAFNESS-FREE PLANTATION WORKING COMMUNITY

BY P S SUNDAR

A new chapter in voluntary health welfare for plantation workers in the Nilgiris was opened on January 9, 2016, with Avataa Beverages throwing open free treatment for restoring hearing to the deaf.

“As part of our corporate social responsibility, we are committed to creating deafness-free society in plantations.  For this, we have linked with Chennai-based Madras ENT Research Foundation (P) Ltd., (MERF) through whom, high-cost hearing restoration surgeries will be done free-of-cost to eligible patients”, Avataa Executive Director G Udayakumar told me.

“This is first of its kind in the health welfare for plantation labour this side.   To begin with, we conducted a special camp at Billimalai Estate, some 10 kilometres from Coonoor, on January 9 when MERF specialists examined hearing impaired workers and their wards from many estates from the Nilgiris and elsewhere”, he said.

“We have identified one child for cochlear implant surgery and have referred many for detailed investigation at our satellite centre in Coimbatore for necessary further treatment.  We will have regular follow-up sessions.  We shall be happy to extend free treatment for deserving patients from all plantations”, MERF Chief Audiologist R Ranjith told me.

Thanks to Tamil Nadu Government extending the fiscal support for high-cost surgeries for restoring hearing to the deaf, MERF has offered its expert services to plantation labour.

“One out of every 500 children born in India is deaf and half of them is due to consanguinity arising from close relative marriage of parents.   Such children are dumb as well.  Increase in cases of acquired deafness among those born healthy is also seen”, R Ranjith told me.  

“The truth is that hearing can be restored in all such cases but the cost is high.  The happy news is that the Chief Minister Comprehensive Health Scheme is available to those treated by MERF.  Under this scheme, each patient is getting Rs 7.5 lakh for cochlear implant.  In those cases where brain stem implant is done, Chief Minster has supported with fiscal assistance to an extent of Rs 18 lakh”, he disclosed.

“Two weeks after such implant, the patient is fitted with external hearing device.  The patients is imparted ‘auditory habilitation training’ twice a week for one year to tone up listening skills.  The entire treatment is offered free-of-cost to the patient”, he noted.

“MERF, under the guidance of Padmashri Awardee Dr Mohan Kameswaran, is performing five implants daily.  MERF is the first institution in Asia to actively perform brain stem implant surgeries.  Since the introduction of the Chief Minister Comprehensive Health Scheme for cochlear implant in 2013, MERF has conducted about 1,000 implants.  Besides, about 3,000 successful implants have been done outside the scheme as well”, Ranjith said.

“To help patients, MERF has opened satellite centres in many places and so patients need not travel to Chennai.   Some such centres are near plantation areas also.   These satellite centres are equipped with necessary infrastructure and technical staff including auditory habitationist, audiologist, speech and language therapist”, he disclosed.

“For that matter, MERF has opened activities all over India and in some other countries including Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Nigeria.  Details can be had over phone: 09940016610”, Ranjith pointed out.

In this backdrop of assurance to restore hearing in almost every case of contentious (at birth) hearing impaired and acquired hearing impaired caused to normal babies as they grow due to various factors, there seems to be no logic in allowing schools for hearing impaired to function.   These children should be supported with hearing restoration and merged with the mainstream of education.    To begin with, plantations can create a deafness-free community in estates.  To that extent, the initiative of Avataa Beverages marks a welcome start for 2016.   

For that matter, 2016 has given a good start to speciality tea sector in which Avataa is a major player.

(response can be sent to: pssundar.coonoor@gmail.com) 

FOR THE RECORD -- 14:

(articles in The Assam Review & Tea News, Dec 2015)

ENTERING 2016 WITH HOPES ...

AGRICULTURAL PROJECT MANAGEMENT AT KAMC

(response can also be sent to: pssundar.coonoor@gmail.com)