Agartala Tea Auction Centre to Be Inaugurated on October 29, Tripura Expects Better Prices, Lower Costs and Wider Market Access
By Our Correspondent
Agartala, October 28, 2026
Tripura is set to take a significant step towards strengthening its tea industry with the inauguration of the Agartala Tea Auction Centre (ATAC) on October 29 by Chief Minister Prof. (Dr.) Manik Saha at Pandit Nehru Complex in Agartala. Industries and Commerce Minister Santana Chakma is scheduled to attend the programme.
Announcing the development at a press conference on Tuesday, Tripura Tea Development Corporation (TTDC) Chairman Samir Ghosh said the establishment of the auction centre was a long-awaited initiative that would help strengthen Tripura’s tea industry, improve the marketing system and create better opportunities for tea producers and buyers.
Ghosh said the new centre was expected to provide a more organised platform for selling Tripura tea, allowing producers to reach buyers through an electronic auction system. He expressed hope that the facility would improve price realisation for tea producers, reduce transportation and logistics expenses, and enhance the market visibility of Tripura tea beyond the state.
Tripura’s tea industry has considerable economic importance, supporting thousands of workers and providing livelihoods to tea garden communities, factory employees, small growers and traders. According to the background document on the Agartala Tea Auction Centre, the state is the fifth-largest tea-producing state in India and the second-largest in the Northeast, producing approximately 7–10 million kilograms of made tea annually.
The state has 54 tea gardens, including five managed by TTDC, 13 by cooperative societies and 36 by private parties. It also has 23 operating tea factories, of which two are run by TTDC, five by cooperative societies and 16 by private parties. More than 15,000 workers and employees are engaged in the tea gardens and factories.
For an industry of this scale, the establishment of a dedicated auction centre within the state is expected to address an important gap in the marketing and distribution chain. Producers have traditionally depended on auction markets outside Tripura, including Kolkata and Guwahati, which can involve additional freight, warehousing, sampling, handling and other logistical expenses.
The Agartala Tea Auction Centre is expected to offer a more convenient marketing channel for local producers while connecting them with buyers, exporters, blenders and tea packers across the country. The initiative is also intended to promote Tripura tea as a distinct product in national and international markets.
The decision to establish a tea e-auction centre was taken at a departmental review meeting chaired by Chief Minister Manik Saha on May 17, 2023. Tea Board India subsequently supported the proposal through a communication to the Chief Secretary dated January 3, 2024. A meeting of Tripura’s tea producers and sellers held on February 7, 2024, also recorded support for the initiative.
The foundation stone of the Agartala Tea Auction Centre was laid by the Chief Minister on March 14, 2024, at Pandit Nehru Complex. A stakeholder consultation meeting involving auctioneers, bidders and other relevant participants was held in Agartala on December 13, 2024, to discuss arrangements for the centre’s establishment and functioning.
The Association of Tea Auctioneers (ATA), Kolkata, was selected through an e-tender process to provide auction-related and warehouse management services. An agreement between TTDC and ATA was signed on August 28, 2025.
To encourage buyers to procure tea through Agartala, the state has also approved transport assistance. According to the background document, TTDC decided to provide the subsidy from its own funds, and the Industries and Commerce Department issued administrative approval on July 27, 2026. The approved assistance is Rs 4 per kilogram for transportation to Kolkata and Rs 3 per kilogram for transportation to Guwahati.
The subsidy is intended to make procurement through Agartala more attractive to buyers who might otherwise use established auction markets elsewhere. Its effectiveness will depend on whether the assistance, combined with competitive prices and reliable logistics, can encourage sustained participation.
Preparations for the electronic auction system have progressed through the registration of buyers, sellers and brokers. A dedicated portal was opened through Tradeforge under Tea Board India in September 2026, and a mock auction was conducted.
According to the background document, registrations completed by September 29 included eight buyers, nine sellers and three brokers. The registered participants included companies and trading entities such as Kesaria Exports, Pioji Tea Limited, Venus Tea Corporation and Radha Madhab Trading Co. The sellers included tea processing factories, tea estates and cooperative societies from Tripura.
The proposed auction centre is expected to benefit small tea growers and bought-leaf factories by providing access to organised marketing channels. A transparent electronic bidding system could help improve price discovery and reduce dependence on intermediaries.
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