In the CTC section about 90 per cent of 25,868 packages on offer was consumed by the buyers. Dooars varieties tended to decline by about Rs 2 to Rs 3 per kg and finished between Rs 67 and Rs 77 per kg. The Cachar and clean Assams sold well at steady rates. Clean well made and liquoring Assams which sold up to Rs 115 per kg saw dearer trends. The remaining Assams declined between Rs 62 and Rs 72 a kg.

Fair buying support was extended by Hindustan Lever Ltd while one of the major packateers operated on selective teas. The other internal markets lent useful support with Western Indian buyers once again opting for liquoring teas. CIS shippers were active in bidding, but operated at the bottom level.

There were 1948 packages of Darjeeling teas onoffer which is considered nominal. This meagre offering was readily absorbed by the continental shippers as well as West Bengal buyers at slightly higher prices than those of last levels.

The Orthodox sale, with an offering of 10,572 packages, met with fair general demand. The offtake saw a marginal drop as about 20 per cent of the offering was unsold. All clean whole leaf sold at easier rates with stalkier sorts discounting further. The overall level of whole grade maintained between Rs 70 and Rs 115 per kg. In the brokens section, few clean varieties remained stagnant at the past levels with occasional uptrends and sold between Rs 70 and Rs 100 a kg. The offgrades and fannings, however, attracted good enquiry and absorbed fully at fully firm to dearer rates between Rs 65 and Rs 70 a kg.

HLL, the major blender, was less active with some local support being evident. The overseas shippers extended their support for particular teas. Continental shippers lent limited enquiry for tippy and liquoring lines andCIS and Middle East operated for cleaner teas.

In the dust section wherein about 19,083 packages were put up for sale, good demand was recorded as more than 90 per cent teas were consumed. The Dooars PDs registered a firm trend at past levels between Rs 70 and Rs 90 a kg. In the Assams category, good liquoring and clean well made teas sold at dearer rates. The remainder, however sold at irregularly lower rates. Assam dusts sold between Rs 95 and Rs 120 a kg.

Guwahati Sale: Guwahati sale No. 45 witnessed an improvement in offtake in the face of improved interest by the buyers. There were 39,902 packages of dust teas on offer of which more than 80 per cent teas were consumed at slightly lower levels than the previous sale. With the season coming to an end, the quality of tea began to decline. Assam dusts offered in the sale were well absorbed at a lower rates by Re 1 to Rs 2 per kg depending on quality.

Few selected clean and liquoring teas in Assam category maintained the last levels withoccasional fall in prices.

The Dooars category, however, was not offered in the sale.

Hindustan Lever was fairly active, absorbing a large quantity of teas while Tata Tea rendered good support. Duncans, Harrison Malayalam and another major packeteer took limited interest and offered limited support. Brighter liquoring teas were lifted by the Gujarat and Maharashtra traders while other domestic buyers operated selected dusts.

Siliguri sale: Siliguri dust sale No. 45, resumed last week-end opened to fair general demand at comparatively lower rates. The sale suffered an withdrawal of teas by about 25 per cent in the total offering of 11,865 packages. All dust teas offered in the sale was sold at lower rates by Re 1 to Rs 3 a kg as quality tended to decline.

Among the buyers, HLL was selective while Tata Tea resumed their normal buying. Gujrat and Maharashtra buyers restricted their offtake on liquoring dusts while other domestic sections were quite active in absorbing teas at lower levels.