A premium quality orthodox tea from an estate in eastern Assam’s Dibrugarh has struck gold at ₹99,999 per kg.
A kilogram of the handmade speciality tea from the Manohari Tea Estate fetched the record price at the Guwahati Tea Auction Centre (GTAC) on Tuesday.
The estate beat its own record of ₹75,000 per kg of the Manohari Gold tea set in 2020. The tea derives its name from the golden hue that it yields when brewed.
“Our teas have fetched a record-breaking price at the GTAC for the fourth straight time since 2018. But we sold only 1 kg at ₹99,999 because production this year has been hampered by climatic conditions,” the tea estate’s Rajan Lohia told The Hindu.
The tea at an all-time high price was bought by Saurav Tea Traders.
“We manufacture the premium quality tea based on high demand from discerning consumers and tea connoisseurs. We hope the record price will help the Assam tea industry regain its lost fame,” he said.
The three estates under the Manohari group produce about 25 lakh kg of tea annually. But the group makes only about 5 kg handmade orthodox tea.
Manohari Gold created its first record in 2018 when a kg sold for ₹39,001 to become the most expensive tea sold in any auction centre in the country. In 2019, the same variety fetched ₹50,000 per kg.
