Rare Assam tea sells for Rs 75,000 a kg, know what's special

A rare variety of Assam tea was sold at a record price of Rs 75,000 per kg at the Guwahati Tea Auction Centre (GTAC) on Thursday. The Manohari Gold Tea is produced by the Manohari Tea Estate in upper Assam’s Dibrugarh district.

But what is so special about this tea?

Rajan Lohia, director of Manohari Tea Estate in eastern Assam’s Dibrugarh district told Deccan Herald that this tea is manufactured from the finest second flush colonel tea buds, which are hand plucked only during the dawn.

“They are plucked only during dawn to avoid exposure to sunlight. It offers aromatic, full-bodied and bright yellowish malty liquor,” he said.

The tea was sold by Contemporary Brokers Private Limited and purchased by Guwahati-based tea trader Vishnu Tea Company, which will sell it across the world on their digital e-commerce website 9amtea.com, Secretary of Guwahati Tea Auction Buyers’ Association, Dinesh Bihani said.

“This is a great achievement amidst global pandemic when the entire world is affected. Manohari Tea Estate has made extra effort to produce this speciality tea in the month of September and sent it to GTAC for sale”, the GTABA secretary said.

The earlier record was also set by the same mark of tea at Rs 50,000 per kg by the same tea garden last year now breaking their own record, he added.

On August 13 last year, another specialised Assam Tea had created a record with Upper Assam’s Dikom Tea Estate selling its Golden Butterfly tea at a record price of Rs 75,000 at the Guwahati Tea Auction Centre.

This sale comes as a ray of hope amid the global pandemic and its impact on the Assam tea industry.

(With agency inputs)