Dibrugarh Launches First Public Tea E-Auction, Transforming Assam's Tea Economy
Historic Launch of E-Auction in Dibrugarh
A tea garden in Assam (Representational Image)
Dibrugarh, Sept 26: In a groundbreaking move that could revolutionize the tea industry in upper Assam, the region celebrated the launch of its first public tea e-auction on Friday. This initiative opens up a new digital avenue for tea planters, manufacturers, and numerous small tea growers to access the national market.
The inaugural auction, hosted by Assam Chai Bazaar LLP at HM Resort, saw enthusiastic participation from both sellers and buyers, marking a pivotal step in positioning Dibrugarh as a tech-savvy tea trading hub in India's eastern tea-producing region.
The first auction generated a positive market response, with the initial lot of Bortemto Mark tea selling for Rs 217.
Gelakey tea achieved the highest prices, with its CTC (Crush, Tear, Curl) leaf variety selling for Rs 341 per kg and the CTC dust variety at Rs 320 per kg. AB Consultants and Brokers purchased the CTC leaf, while Amitashish Enterprises acquired the dust quality.
Deven Singh, a promoter of Assam Chai Bazaar LLP, noted that despite some major buyers, including Hindustan Unilever Limited, facing technical difficulties and not participating, the auction attracted 18 buyers, which is encouraging for the launch of this new auction platform in Dibrugarh.
“Even with the absence of some key buyers, the support received for the inaugural sale was promising. The sale percentage and prices achieved are very encouraging for the start of this auction platform,” Singh remarked.
The auction figures indicated a significant volume of tea offered through this new platform. The CTC Leaf category included 175 lots with 4,419 packages totaling 1,48,531 kg of tea, of which 61.33% was sold at an average price of Rs 206 per kg.
In the CTC dust category, 83 lots with 1,968 packages containing 74,693.5 kg of tea were auctioned, achieving a sale percentage of 63.16% and an average price of Rs 210 per kg. Overall, the average price for teas sold during the inaugural auction was approximately Rs 207 per kg.
This launch is particularly significant for upper Assam, where tea cultivation and production have been integral to the region's economic and social landscape for over two centuries. Alongside large tea estates, the growing community of small tea growers plays a crucial role in the industry, with many families relying on tea cultivation and related activities.
Chand Kumar Gohain, another promoter of Assam Chai Bazaar and chairman of the Assam Bought Leaf Tea Manufacturers’ Association (ABLTMA), emphasized that this initiative aims to connect producers and buyers through a brokerless digital auction platform, allowing tea producers to engage in a structured auction system while enabling buyers to source teas directly from one of India's premier tea-producing regions.
The platform, licensed to conduct e-auctions in Dibrugarh, is spearheaded by tea producers Chand Kumar Gohain, Deven Singh, Gautam Beria, Sumit Agarwalla, and Chandrajit Baruah, with the web-based technology provided by Tradeforge Technologies.
During the launch event, Singh referred to the occasion as a historic milestone for the tea industry, which has been thriving for over 200 years. Arunita Phukan Yadav, executive director of the Tea Board of India, North East Zonal Office, described the Assam Chai Bazaar initiative as a significant step towards modernizing the traditional tea marketing framework.
“Assam Chai Bazaar is a groundbreaking initiative. Established in May 2026, it aims to modernize the traditional tea marketing system by leveraging technology to create a transparent, efficient, and producer-friendly electronic auction platform. The platform will adhere strictly to pan-India auction regulations, with oversight from the Tea Board. Any future deviations from these rules will be taken very seriously,” Yadav stated.
She added that Assam Chai Bazaar will primarily serve the major tea-producing areas of Dibrugarh and nearby regions, including parts of Arunachal Pradesh, while enhancing Dibrugarh's status as a key tea-trading and auction center.
The inaugural event was attended by notable figures, including Prabhat Bezbaruah, former chairman of the Tea Board of India; Dina Moni Kakati, deputy director of tea development at the Tea Board of India, North East Zonal Office; Samudra Prasad Barooah, chairman of the Assam Tea Planters’ Association; veteran tea planter Mrigendra Jalan; and Rohinton Babaycon, director of Tradeforge Technologies, among others.