CM Manik Saha Inaugurates Tripura Tea Auction Centre in Agartala, First Auction Fetches Rs 325 per Kg

By Our Correspondent

Agartala, October 29, 2026

Tripura’s tea industry entered a new phase of development on Thursday with Chief Minister Prof. (Dr.) Manik Saha inaugurating the Agartala Tea Auction Centre (ATAC), an initiative expected to strengthen the marketing of locally produced tea, improve price realisation for producers and create new economic opportunities for tea growers across the state.

The inauguration was marked by an encouraging development for the industry, with the first auction fetching a price of Rs 325 per kg for Tripura tea, according to Samir Ghosh, Chairman of the Tripura Tea Development Corporation Limited (TTDCL).

Describing the achievement as promising, Ghosh said that Tripura tea had received this price for the first time in the history of the state’s tea industry. He thanked everyone who had extended support and guidance for the establishment of the auction centre.

The first auction price has raised expectations that a dedicated electronic auction platform in Agartala could help Tripura tea producers secure better market access and strengthen the identity of Tripura tea in the domestic market.

Speaking after inaugurating the centre, Chief Minister Manik Saha said the launch of the Agartala Tea Auction Centre had opened a new chapter in the development of Tripura’s tea industry.

He said the initiative would create new possibilities for expanding the industry, improving the marketing of locally produced tea and strengthening the economic condition of tea growers.

The Chief Minister highlighted Tripura’s position as the fifth-largest tea-producing state in India and the second-largest in the northeastern region. The state produces approximately 7–10 million kg of tea annually through its 54 tea gardens.

He also pointed to the important role played by around 2,800 small tea growers in the state’s tea economy and said the government had been taking various measures to protect their interests and promote their overall welfare.

“Our objective is to strengthen Tripura’s tea industry further and create new avenues for employment and economic prosperity,” the Chief Minister said, outlining the government’s broader vision for the sector.

Notably, tea cultivation and processing have long been important components of Tripura’s rural economy. According to the background document prepared for the auction centre, the state has 54 tea gardens, of which five are managed by the government through TTDCL, 13 by cooperative societies and 36 by private parties.

The state also has 23 operational tea factories. Two are operated by TTDCL, five by cooperative societies and 16 by private entities.

More than 15,000 workers and employees are engaged in the state’s tea gardens and factories, making the sector an important source of livelihoods and employment.

Despite this established production base, access to organised markets, transportation costs and dependence on auction centres outside the state have been important considerations for the industry.

The establishment of the Agartala Tea Auction Centre is intended to address some of these challenges by bringing tea producers, buyers, brokers and other stakeholders onto a common platform within Tripura.

more news...