Archive · 25 Sep 2026
CIS Buyers Lift Orthodox Tea Prices at Kochi Auctions
Tea buyers from CIS countries showed strong interest at an auction in Kochi.
Their buying helped push up prices for some orthodox teas.
About 95% of the orthodox tea offered was sold.
All the offered CTC leaf tea was sold.
Some traders said prices also rose because less tea was available.
Rain in tea-growing areas reduced arrivals at the auction.
Different tea grades had different price movements.
Good-quality and stronger-tasting CTC teas were especially popular.
CTC dust prices fell slightly, but some Keralam varieties became more valuable.
All the dust orthodox tea offered was sold.
CIS buyers drove strong demand for orthodox tea at Kochi auctions.
Orthodox tea recorded 95% sales from 253,035 kg offered.
CTC leaf achieved 100% sales from 30,087 kg offered.
Traders linked higher prices partly to low offerings caused by rains in production centres.
CTC dust sales reached 90%, while dust orthodox tea recorded full sales.
- Who
- CIS buyers, tea traders, and sellers at the Kochi auction; Anil George Joseph, president of the Tea Trade Association of Cochin, described market trends.
- What
- Strong demand lifted prices for some orthodox tea varieties, while CTC and dust teas recorded high sales rates.
- When
- September 25, 2026.
- Where
- Tea auctions in Kochi, with references to tea production centres and Keralam varieties.
- Why
- CIS buyer participation supported demand, while rains in production centres reduced tea arrivals and offerings.
Demand-driven increase
Supply-driven increase
Main reason for higher prices
Demand-driven increase
Active participation by CIS buyers created strong demand, particularly for orthodox tea and quality CTC varieties.
Supply-driven increase
Some traders attributed the price rise mainly to low offerings, as rains in production centres reduced arrivals at the auction.
Orthodox tea performance
Demand-driven increase
The orthodox market had good demand, with mid-leaf and larger broken grades firm to occasionally dearer.
Supply-driven increase
The trend was mixed: whole-leaf grades tended to ease, and other grades declined depending on quality.
- Orthodox tea offered
- 253,035 kg
- Orthodox tea sold
- 95%
- CTC leaf offered
- 30,087 kg
- CTC leaf sold
- 100%
- CTC dust offered
- 603,842 kg
- CTC dust sold
- 90%
- Dust orthodox offered and sold
- 4,850 kg offered; 100% sold