Tea companies upset over low opening price despite improved quality

The excessive carry-over stock of around 30 million kg (mkg) of tea and lower demand from the buyers kept the opening prices muted for tea companies as the year’s first tea started to hit markets. Average price fall is seen at around 10-15 per cent.

One of the larger tea companies having a significant presence in Darjeeling, Dooars and Assam registered a 22 per cent shortfall in its opening prices while another Assam based large tea company experienced a near 10 per cent dip in its opening prices as compared to last year.

“Every tea company I’ve been talking to