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In a major step towards strengthening the tea industry in the Northeast, a delegation from the Tripura Tea Development Corporation (TTDC) visited the Guwahati Tea Auction Centre (GTAC) to study its auction mechanism and adopt best practices for the upcoming Agartala Tea Auction Centre, expected to become operational by the end of September this year.
The delegation comprised TTDC Chairman Samir Ranjan Ghosh and Managing Director Er. Rajesh Kumar Das, IAS. They were accompanied by Tea Board India Executive Director Arunita Phukan during the visit, which was attended by senior officials of the Guwahati Tea Auction Centre (GTAC) and the Assam Tea Association (ATA). GTAC Secretary Priyanuz Dutta made a detailed presentation on the functioning of the auction centre, explaining the complete operational process from tea arrival and cataloguing to quality assessment, electronic auctioning, buyer participation, logistics, settlement procedures and the use of technology to ensure transparency and efficiency. The Tripura delegation described the visit as an important learning experience, noting that modern electronic auction systems can strengthen the tea value chain by improving transparency, enabling better price realisation for growers and expanding market opportunities for the tea industry. Officials said the Agartala Tea Auction Centre will adopt several operational practices followed by GTAC to create a transparent and efficient marketing platform for tea produced in Tripura. The proposed auction centre is expected to improve market access, enhance competitiveness and benefit tea growers, manufacturers, buyers and other stakeholders across Tripura and the wider Northeastern region. The delegation expressed gratitude to Tea Board India, the Guwahati Tea Auction Centre and the Assam Tea Association for extending technical guidance and sharing their expertise for the development of Tripura's tea auction ecosystem. The establishment of the Agartala Tea Auction Centre is expected to mark a significant milestone in the state's tea sector by facilitating better price discovery, improving supply chain efficiency and strengthening Tripura's presence in the national tea market. (ANI)
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