Guwahati: A speciality Pu’er tea cake produced in Assam was sold for Rs 12,000 per kg at the Guwahati auction centre, marking what officials described as a proud moment for the state’s plantation sector.Chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma described on X, “Assam tea is finding new ways to command a premium. An Assam made Pu’er Tea Cake from Gauripur Tea Industry, Golaghat, fetched ₹12,000 per kg at the Guwahati Tea Auction Centre, marking a significant moment for Assam’s evolving tea industry.”“Gauripur Tea Industry, owned by Aparaj Saikia, is a member of our association. The sale of the tea at this price marks a proud moment for Assam’s tea industry,” North Eastern Tea Association (NETA) advisor Bidyananda Barkakoty said.Pu’er, or Pu-erh, is a post-fermented tea traditionally produced in China’s Yunnan Province. It is mainly made from the large leaves of Camellia sinensis, particularly the Assamica variety.Traditionally pressed into cakes or bricks, Pu’er develops its distinctive character through fermentation and ageing, yielding a deep, rich and smooth taste with earthy and woody flavours.Barkakoty said the sale of Pu-erh tea at the Guwahati Tea Auction Centre (GTAC) would pave the way for the sale of Phalap tea through the public auction platform in the near future.Phalap is the traditional tea of the Singpho community, residing in Tinsukia and Margherita, and is likewise made from the large leaves of Camellia sinensis Assamica.Barkakoty added that under the Assam Tea Industries Special Incentives Scheme (ATISIS), 2020, the state government has increased the subsidy for orthodox and other speciality tea production from Rs 10 to Rs 15 per kg, effective from the 2026–27 financial year.“This will encourage more production of non-CTC teas and help address the demand-supply imbalance arising from the overproduction of CTC variety,” he said.
