GUWAHATI: A tea variety from Assam was on Tuesday sold at Rs 50,000 a kg at the Guwahati Tea Auction Centre.
The whopping price helped 'Manohari Gold', produced by the Manohari Tea Estate in Upper Assam’s Dibrugarh district, break all past records. This is said to be the highest tea price ever in the world. One kg of the tea was bought by the Saurav Tea Traders Pvt. Ltd.
Last year, one kg of the same tea variety and of the same tea estate, had fetched Rs.39,001. However, the feat was temporary as one kg of 'Golden Needle', which is a tea variety from the Donyi Polo Tea Estate in Arunachal Pradesh, was sold at Rs.40,000 a kg.
The Manohari Gold tea variety, made with the finest tea clones, is considered the finest in the industry.
“This tea indicates the standard of Assam Tea but, sadly, the industry lacks the admiration it deserves. The industry needs the much-needed support from the government or else Assam Tea will become history,” Rajan Lohia, the owner of Manohari Tea Estate, said.
He also said that the tea industry was on the verge of collapse and if that happened, it would lead to a disaster as lakhs of workers would suffer due to sudden unemployment.
Lohia thanked the Tea Board for enhancing the cap from Rs.40,000 a kg which helped Gold tea get its price.
“This tea is the outcome of dedicated efforts of CK Parashar, a tea proficient, who works tirelessly to come up with such an excellent tea under the leadership of Rajan Lohia, Managing Director, Manohari Tea Estate,” a statement issued by the tea estate reads.