The average price of Bangladeshi teas fell a fraction to 195.43 taka ($2.75) per kg on poor quality at the weekly auction on Tuesday, brokers said. Some 1.31 million kg were sold, leaving 21.40 percent of the offer to be carried back. Bangladeshi buyers, including exporters mainly to the Commonwealth of Independent States and Pakistan participated in the auction, held in the country's lone auction centre in the main port city Chittagong.
"Better quality teas were dearer but plainers eased at the auction that saw the biggest withdrawal (unsold teas) of the season," said an official of the National Brokers Limited, the largest tea broking firm in the country. Different grades were sold between 160 taka and 226 taka per kg in the auction. But in an exclusive sale for well-made teas some 100 kg of Pekeo Fannings realised the highest price of 250 taka per kg, followed by another 250 kg selling at 236 taka per kg. The next auction will be held on Tuesday, January 18, with more than 1.71 million kg on offer.