In CTC sale no 27, a total of 26,664 packages were put up for sale and about 95 per cent consumed by buyers. The market opened on a steady note for all teas, excepting plainer varieties which were almost neglected. A nominal quantity of better Dooars, smaller brokens and fannings sold at barely steady rates between Rs 90 per kg to Rs 95 per kg while the medium and plainer Dooars varieties ruled lower by Rs 3 per kg to Rs 5 per kg depending on quality.

In the Assam category, the selective good and best improved liquoring teas attracted good attention and realised higher rates. The medium Assam sorts, however, dropped from the past levels by about Rs 3 per kg to Rs 5 per kg. The plainer fannings witnessed a further fall inprices. Brooke Bond lent better support to improved liquoring lines with west Indian markets extending good support. The West Bengal traders were also fairly active in the sale with CIS being selective. Godfrey Phillips operated with restricted strength for selected good liquoring sorts. The UK buyers also were selective for bright liquoring fannings.

The Darjeeling sale also met with improved demand with improved liquoring teas selling well at attractive prices. Overall price level in the sale, where about 6902 packages offered, was higher than the past sale. The continental buyers offered attractive prices for improved quality brokens and fannings. The local dealers along with exporters were very active with some support from the other domestic buyers. The highest price at Rs 1430 per kg was fetched by a line of Singhbulli Tea Estate.

The market opened to a good demand for 19,373 packages of orthodox teas of which about 17,356 packages sold at the market. Tippy and liquoring whole leaf orthodox realisedattractive prices. The remainder, whole leaf, however, sold irregularly. The stalkier teas saw an easy trend. The liquoring tippy brokens as well as seasonal improved quality orthodox ruled dearer with remainder selling irregularly lower in prices. A line of fannings, however, sold at easier rates. There was useful continental support on the tippy teas. Some inquiry was also witnessed from Russia and Middle East buyers. Whole leaf was consumed by the Tata Tea with local and other domestic traders fairly supportive. Brooke Bond, however, remained selective.

In the dust sale no 27, the market saw an improved demand with 96 per cent of the teas offered amounting 12,119 packages being consumed by the buyers. The best variety dusts registered a better sale, although at lower levels. However, some selective lines ruled dearer on quality considerations. The rest of the teas by and large registered an easier trend in prices. Some liquoring teas in the good Assam category, however, sold at higher prices over pastlevels and saw some fluctuations. The secondaries, particularly the clean and liquoring dusts fully absorbed at lower levels. Brooke Bond, Tata Tea and other packeteers were selective. Bush tea remained restricted on liquoring larger dusts while western India operated actively for good liquoring sorts with domestic buyers' support.

Guwahati sale: The Guwahati CTC sale no 28 registered good and improved demand with 95 per cent of the teas offered in the sale consumed by the market. However, the level of prices, by and large, was lower. Selected best liquoring teas ruled easy by upto Rs 5 per kg, the remaining Assam teas tended further downward by Rs 6 to Rs 8 per kg. The seasonal teas with declining quality registered a falling trend. Smaller brokens and fannings which revoked less response eased substantially compared to past levels. The Cachar teas were not offered in the sale. Brooke Bond continued to remain quiet in the sale while the other packeteers absorbed a fair amount of teas.

The Maharashtraand Gujarat buyers operated at reduced levels for better liquoring CTC teas with other domestic buyers quiet so far. Eveready and other packeteers were fairly active and consumed liquoring CTC with support from others. There were some export inquiry from shippers who operated till the level of Rs 75 a kg. In the dust section of the Guwahati sale no 28, the market opened to fair demand. The offering was restricted to 35,423 packages and out of this, about 80 per cent was absorbed by the market. Price levels were lower compared to the previous sale. Better liquoring dusts sold lower by Rs 6 per kg with remaining selling even lower by Rs 8 and at times 10 per kg. Non-liquoring dusts along with teas showing seasonal decline in quality sold at discernably lower rates. The fibrous secondaries were left unsold and followed by withdrawal. Cachar teas were not available for auction. Brooke Bond operated very selective on liquoring dusts while Tata Tea and other packeteers operated fairly and absorbed good quantityteas.