Coonoor, which is the second largest tea trading centre after Guwahati, is known to be an export-oriented centre, as most tea bought from here is exported to Russia. Whereas, South India has three auction centres at Coimbatore, Cochin and Coonoor, almost 50 per cent of the South Indian tea production is sold every week at the Coonoor centre.

However, despite being one of the biggest trading centre, there is no proper trading complex and auctions are being carried out in rented premises.

With the weekly sales of tea crossing 20 lakh kgs, the CTTA has planned a new tea auction complex which will be built at Coonoor at a cost of around Rs one crore. Halansaid that the complex was a long felt need of the tea growers and traders as Coonoor centre accounts for 90 per cent of the sale of Nilgiris and 50 per cent of the south Indian tea production.

"The new project envisages an investment of around Rs one crore and will have all facilities for tea traders. The new complex will comprise of a three storeyed building which will house a auction hall, administrative block and a meeting hall. The project is expected to be completed in 15 months", added Halan.

Halan said that the first auction started at Coonoor in 1960s when only 70 lots totalling 20,000 kg were printed and one broker, 47 factories and 27 buyers operated.

Today weekly sales have crossed 20 kgs mark and there are 8 brokers, 241 sellers and 218 buyers operating. Besides, more than 70 million kgs of tea is handled annually and therefore the centre must have a proper building of its own.

In 1993, the CTTA bought 37 cents of land in Quail Hill, Coonoor but could not go ahead with the construction dueto the existing stringent building rules in the Nilgiris imposed by the then state government on grounds of preserving the ecology. However, now with the relaxation of some provisions in the master plan, CTTA has decided to start construction of the complex.

Halan, who is also a senior official at the state owned Tamil Nadu Tea Plantations Ltd (TANTEA), informed that the foundation stone of the complex has been laid recently and it is expected that by the end of next year the new complex would be ready.