Guwahati (Assam) [India], October 5 : Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday said a special tea auction was organised to raise funds for the Chief Minister's Relief Fund, bringing tea producers and buyers together to contribute towards a larger social cause.
Speaking in Guwahati, Sarma said, "A special tea auction to contribute funds for the CM relief fund was organised. This gives an opportunity for the buyers and producers to come together and contribute to a bigger cause. I thank everyone for participating in the auction."
The initiative was organised at a time when Assam's tea industry continues to remain closely associated with the state's economy, heritage and social fabric. The Guwahati Tea Auction Centre (GTAC) has for decades served as a major platform for the marketing and price discovery of tea produced across Assam and the wider Northeast.
The Guwahati Tea Auction Centre remains an important part of Assam's tea value chain. The centre provides a formal marketplace where producers, brokers and buyers participate in tea trading, helping determine prices and connect Assam's tea gardens with domestic and wider markets. The official GTAC platform currently lists hundreds of buyers, brokers and warehouses associated with the auction ecosystem.
The special auction comes amid renewed activity and diversification in Assam's tea sector. In September, an Assam-produced Pu'er-style specialty tea fetched Rs 12,000 per kg at the Guwahati Tea Auction Centre, marking a notable sale of a non-traditional specialty tea variety through the platform. The development highlighted growing interest in premium and alternative tea products produced in Assam.
The auction centre has also recorded significant trading activity during 2026. According to recent figures reported from GTAC, more than 106 million kg of tea had been sold between April 1 and September 25, with an average price of around Rs 241 per kg during the period.
The tea sector remains particularly important to Assam's rural economy and provides livelihoods to a large number of workers and families associated with tea gardens and the wider value chain. The Centre has previously highlighted the role of Assam's tea gardens in providing employment and supporting communities across the state.
Tea Board India has also highlighted the social and economic significance of the sector, with its 2026 International Tea Day programmes focusing on sustainability, community welfare and youth engagement in the tea industry.
The state government has also taken steps aimed at strengthening Assam's tea industry and improving its competitiveness. In September, the revised Assam Tea Industries Special Incentives Scheme was notified, with measures including incentives for tea exports and increased support for Orthodox and specialty tea production.
Connectivity has also emerged as an important factor for Assam's tea economy. The Centre's proposed Guwahati-Tezpur Corridor is expected to improve connectivity between tea-producing areas and major markets, potentially reducing travel time and logistics costs for the movement of tea and other goods.
Against this backdrop, the special auction organised for the CM Relief Fund combines Assam's established tea-trading ecosystem with a public welfare initiative. Sarma thanked the participating producers and buyers, saying their participation provided an opportunity for the industry to come together for a cause beyond commercial transactions.
The initiative also underlined the continuing significance of tea in Assam, where the crop represents not only an important economic activity but also a longstanding part of the state's history, culture and identity.