Tea garden in Darjeeling, India.
India
Beginning in June, Darjeeling tea will for the first time be part of India’s eAuction network. The tea, grown at the foot of the Himalaya Mountains in West Bengal, has for the past 150 years been auctioned privately at weekly sessions dominated by the largest tea wholesalers in the world.
Commerce secretary Rita Teaotia, who announced the decision, said that including lots from Darjeeling will result in “better price discovery” as bidders outside the traditional circle of traders will have an opportunity to purchase these teas.
Private auctions favor large tea brokers representing firms in Japan, Europe, and the United States. These countries import most of the 9 million kilos produced annually.