Tripura is set to see the inauguration of its first tea auction centre in Gurkhabasti by April this year, as confirmed by Samir Ranjan Ghosh, chairman of the Tripura Tea Development Corporation (TTDC). The Chief Minister, Manik Saha, had previously laid the foundation stone for this facility in March 2024, marking a pivotal development for the state. This auction centre will be the eighth of its kind in India, enhancing the local tea industry’s profile and situating Tripura alongside other states hosting such centres.
To address the logistical concerns highlighted by buyers about the high transportation costs associated with shipping tea to auction centres in Guwahati and Kolkata, the TTDC has implemented a subsidy of Rs 4 per kilogram to make the auction centre economically viable for local producers. Ghosh emphasized that local auctioning would eliminate the need for tea growers to transport their products outside the state, thus simplifying the process and reducing costs. This initiative aims to ensure better pricing for Tripura’s tea, which is crucial given that the state is currently facing significant revenue losses in State GST due to its classification as a tea-producing state.
With 54 operational tea estates, Tripura produces approximately 90 lakh kilograms of made tea annually. The establishment of the auction centre is expected to have substantial economic implications, benefiting over 30,000 individuals reliant on the tea sector. Moreover, shifting Tripura’s classification to a tea-consuming state as a result of this centre will enable it to receive State GST on transactions conducted within its borders, thereby enhancing the state’s economic landscape.
