India
About 90% of the tea India produces is CTC, but the current grading system identifies 60 or more grades, presenting a challenge for producers, auctioneers, and buyers to truly know what they are getting.
To address this long-standing confusion, the Tea Board of India has issued a circular announcing that it is standardizing the grade structure for different types of CTC nationwide effective March 1.
The Tea Board has been studying the grade issues surrounding CTC for some time, and has worked closely with producers and auction buyers’ associations and auction organizers.
“It will now remove confusion in the domestic as well as the overseas markets on the matter,” said Assam Tea Planters’ Association (ATPA) chairman AR Kasera, quoted in the local media.
The new guidelines allow for eight grades of CTC broken leaf, three grades of CTC fanning and eight grades of CTC dust.