In the CTC section of the sale, where prices ruled between Rs 62 and Rs 115 per kg including all varieties, only few selected good liquoring teas along with clean well made CTC registered a firm trend. Good Assam brokens were sold between Rs 95 and Rs 115 per kg while fannings ranged between Rs 85 and Rs 100 a kg. Medium Assam brokens and fannings suffered by Rs 2 per kg with former ruling between Rs 60 and Rs 70 a kg, fannings between Rs 55 and Rs 72 per kg. Prices of Dooars teas fell by Rs 3 to Rs 4 per kg from the past levels and were quoted between Rs 60 and Rs 77 a kg.

Around 41,702 packages of CTC teas were on offer, of which 90 per cent was absorbed by the buyers including Hindustan Lever, CIS shippers, West Bengal and Western India buyers. The CIS buyers remained selective for bolder brokens and quoted up toRs 71 a kg with fair support from the other domestic buyers.

There was a good demand in the orthodox section also with 24,059 packages were put up for sale. About 90 per cent of the teas offered were consumed. Whole leaf grade teas, particularly clean and well made varieties surged up by Rs 5 a kg and ruled between Rs 75 and Rs 120 per kg. Prices of other varieties in this section fell in line with the quality. Brokens grades maintained between Rs 70 and Rs 100 per kg. Fannings continued to rule firm and were readily absorbed by the shippers.

The West Asian shippers along with CIS and continental shippers lifted large quantity of orthodox liquoring teas. Hind Lever, however, remained selective. West Bengal buyers were also active. Darjeeling teas met with good demand with selected whole leaf categories selling at attractive prices. The other whole leaf teas also were steady. Brokens and fannings also were well received by the continental and local buyers. However, dust section of the week's sale recordeda mixed trend. Few liquoring lines absorbed at firm to dearer prices with the remaining suffered a setback. The auction saw good demand from the buyers with more than 90 per cent of the total offering of 17,776 packages consumed. Bright liquoring Assam dust was sold at irregularly last levels and sometime tended lower. The remainder Assams declined by Rs 2 to Rs 3 per kg from the past levels of Rs 95 and Rs 120 per kg. Dooars, which quoted between Rs 70 and Rs 90 a kg, also registered a fall by Rs 3 to Rs 4 per kg.

HLL along with other packateers were discernibly active in the sale with good support forthcoming from Maharashtra and Gujarat buyers. West Bengal buyers rendered fair support.

Guwahati sale: The Guwahati sale No. 46 registered a further decline from the past levels with improved availability of teas. However, the demand showed a considerable increase to 80 per cent from the past week's 75 per cent.

In the CTC section of the Guwahati sale, wherein 88,731 packages were put up for sale,about 80 per cent was consumed. Market opened to good demand with offtake reaching to a maximum level. However, the demand fell with the progress of sale. The price levels were generally lower by Rs 3 to Rs 4 per kg than the previous levels. Some selected clean grainy Assam CTC tended lower by Rs 2 per kg while remainder declined by Rs 4 per kg. Smaller brokens and secondaries suffered with no sale at all.

Hind Lever was the major buyer of CTC teas with other packateers like Eveready, Godfrey Phillips and Tata Tea operating selectively. Better category CTC were absorbed by the Maharashtra and Gujarat buyers who received some internal support. Polish shippers opted for bolder brokens up to the level of Rs 65 a kg while CIS shippers restricted their operation on liquoring lines.

About 34,413 packages of dust teas met with good demand with 80 per cent of offering being sold. Selected clean and liquoring dusts were sold at irregularly lower rates and scaled down by Rs 2 to Rs 3 per kg and sometimes moredepending on quality.

Hind Lever rendered good enquiry while Tata Tea, Duncans and other prominent packateers lent limited support. Western Indian markets remained subdued.