[Assam] Tea companies prefer Kolkata auction to Guwahati centre - The Hindu

[Ram Sarangapani]

And I always thought this matter was settled, and tea was being auctioned at
Guwahati, and the GTAC was operating in full swing.
Highlights mine.

--Ram
______________________________
Tea companies prefer Kolkata auction to Guwahati centre
Guwahati (PTI): Major tea companies operating in Assam are reluctant to sell
their produce through Guwahati Tea Auction Centre (GTAC) though Assam
government had recently announced that it would be mandatory for all
companies to route their sale through the auction centre here.

A report prepared by consultancy firm Trenton Consultants has pointed out
that *around 82 per cent of tea sold at the Kolkata Tea Auction Centre is
produced in Assam and this has raised the hackles of the state government.
*
The tea industry is, however, *reluctant to reverse the trend as there are
certain distinct advantages in Kolkata.
*
*"Companies will send tea to where they get good buyers irrespective of the
place as this is business and they want to get the best price for their
produce," says Secretary of Assam branch of the Indian Tea Association
(ABITA) D Kakoty.
*
*The GTAC can handle only 150 million kgs of tea* and so the centre must
first adopt a strategy to offer more tea to attract buyers to the centre, he
said.

Moreover, Kolkata has the advantage of a large and multi- dimensional market
with most of the major tea companies having their headquarters and
warehouses there.

The GTAC, too, has certain advantages like it is located in the major tea
producing belt but this is outweighed by disadvantages like prevailing law
and order situation, pilferage and lack of a wet port, Kakoty said.