Agartala : In a significant push to Tripura’s tea sector, the state is set to open its own tea auction centre from the next financial year, with infrastructure for the facility almost complete.

Chairman of the Tripura Tea Development Corporation (TTDC) Samir Ranjan Ghosh said on Monday that the auction centre is expected to become operational soon and will provide local tea growers with improved market access through a transparent auction mechanism.

“At present, tea produced in Tripura is sent to auction centres in Assam and West Bengal. Due to the high volume of tea available in those markets, growers from Tripura often do not receive fair prices despite producing quality tea,” Ghosh told reporters. He added that the new centre would reduce transportation costs and shorten the time taken to sell produce, directly benefiting planters in the state.

Ghosh said the tea industry in Tripura had remained neglected for years but has seen steady progress since 2018 following targeted policy interventions by the present government.

Meanwhile, as part of efforts to promote Tripura tea, the TTDC, in collaboration with the Tea Board of India, will organise the annual ‘Run for Tea’ event on December 17. The run will begin at 6.30 am from the TTDC office and will be flagged off by Industries and Commerce Minister Santana Chakma, Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Tinku Roy, Mayor and MLA Dipak Majumder, along with heads of various public sector undertakings and other dignitaries.

A three-kilometre run has been planned, with cash prizes for the first three finishers. The event is open to the public and is expected to see participation from sportspersons, journalists, and citizens from across the state, Ghosh added.

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