Jorhat tea e-auction platform to operate from mid-February

The Jorhat tea e-auction platform would start operating from mid-February next year for which the Tea Board commenced online registration of buyers and sellers on Thursday.

The Jorhat e-auction centre would be run by mjunction, a joint venture between Tata Steel and SAIL.

Deputy chairman of Tea Board, Arun Kumar Ray said the sellers and buyers would have to e-register themselves for onboarding onto the platform.

"Tea bought through the platform would be delivered at the doorsteps of the buyers for which logistical partners would be roped in," Ray told PTI.

The official said tea would be kept at a warehouse in Jorhat after the auction.

"The logistical partners will despatch the tea to the buyers while Tea Board will ensure its delivery," he said.

Ray said the board will also appoint third-party tea tasters for neutral testing.

The tea tasters were till now appointed by sellers, he said.

"By appointing the neutral tea tasters, the price and quality of tea will be matched," the official said.

The Tea Board also launched a corporate credit card for tea buyers facing a liquidity crunch.

"ICICI Bank, the settlement bank for all the six auction centres of the country, will offer the credit card with 45 days credit period," he said.

Tea auction centres are located at Kolkata, Guwahati, Siliguri, Coonoor, Coimbatore and Kochi.

Ray said Indian tea auction system is technologically superior to that of China, Sri Lanka and Mombasa in Kenya.