Darjeeling tea e-auctioning may start in FY13

Kolkata, Feb 8 (IBNS) After the introduction of electronic-auctioning of varieties of tea in 2009, the e-auctioning of Darjeeling varieties of tea might be started in the early period of the new financial year.

The Darjeeling varieties of tea is still sold through the manual outcry, yet e-auctiong for many varieties of tea were started in 2009 in Kolkata.

On the occasion of 125 years celebration of Calcutta Tea Traders Association (CTTA), chairperson Sangeeta Kichlu said, "Tea is a very precious product, so we want to learn all mistakes from the previous experience of implementation of e-auctioning first."

"In this context National Centre for Information Technology (NCIT) is developing the software for auctioning, but still there are some hitches. Once it is cleared the process will be started. And most probably it may take off in the next financial year," she said.

The electronic process of selling would enhance the scope for buyers to deal in the transparent manner.

Kichlu said, "We want to reach to the maximum buyers.The younger generation is more efficient in dealing with the advanced auctioning system."

The main reason of the delay in the e-auctioning of Darjeeling tea is due to the many varieties like first class, second class, Bhanji etc.

The first and second class of tea are exported to foreign countries and these are packaged and sent within ten days after plucking.

The Chairperson said, "All the problems related to the e-auctioning has been shorted out now."

Last year the total Darjeeling tea production was about 8-9 million kilogram.

Once the auctioning starts, 50-55 percent of tea would be sold through this process.

Tea production is not showing much growth but the domestic demand is increasing as the population is growing at the rate of 2-3 percent.

(Reporting by Pratik Singh)