RAJDEEP MONDAL, MP, 4 Mar 2025, Jalpaiguri: The Tea Board has announced that the Jalpaiguri Tea Auction Centre will resume operations on March 31, starting with auction number 14.
To boost participation, the auction committee has introduced discounts and a streamlined auction process. The Jalpaiguri Tea Auction Committee will offer a 2 per cent discount on tea purchases within seven days and a 1 per cent discount on purchases within 14 days.
Unlike the Siliguri Tea Auction Centre, where tea is auctioned within 21 days, the Jalpaiguri centre will complete the process within 11 days to reduce storage costs for sellers. The decision was made during an auction committee meeting at the Jalpaiguri ITPA Hall on Monday.
A mock tea auction is scheduled for March 10 to ensure smooth operations. An ad hoc committee has been formed to oversee the registration of tea sellers, buyers and brokers by March 31.
“We have introduced discounts to strengthen the Jalpaiguri Tea Auction Centre. Reducing the auction duration to 11 days will help sellers avoid prolonged storage costs. Auctions will be held every Monday,” said Purajit Bakshi Gupta, vice-chairman of the Tea Auction Committee.Key stakeholders, including tea garden owners from Jalpaiguri, Siliguri and Darjeeling, representatives of bought leaf factories, self-help group-run bought leaf factories, buyers, sellers and brokers, attended Monday’s meeting.
The auction room is being cleaned and essential infrastructure such as laptops and internet connectivity is being set up.
Sanjay Dhanoti, chairman of the task force for the revival of the auction centre, expressed optimism. “We have received positive responses from large tea estates and bought leaf factories.
The more tea enters the auction and the faster transactions are completed, the stronger the centre’s revival. Buyers, sellers and brokers have assured their cooperation.” Opened in 2008, the Jalpaiguri Tea Auction Centre ceased operations in 2014-15 due to low tea supply. Following efforts from the auction committee and Jalpaiguri MP Jayanta Roy, the Tea Board has approved its reopening, marking a crucial step for the regional tea trade.
Courtesy & source- Millennium Post
https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/mamata-come-up-with-centralised-system-of-cleaning-601173
