Jalpaiguri Tea Auction to come to life from next year end

Jalpaiguri, Oct 16 (UNI) Union Minister of State for Commerce Jairam Ramesh today announced that an e-auction centre will start from next year end to enable buyers to buy tea online from Jalpaiguri tea auction centre.

Jalpaiguri MLA Debaprasad Roy today urged Mr Ramesh to take some action to put bring the tea auctions in Jalpaiguri back in business.

The tea auction centre came into existance a long time back but work has not yet begun, said the MLA and added, ''We expect initiative in this regard will soon be taken by the Centre.'' Jalpaiguri produces 1,400 lakh kgs tea every year, whereas Siliguri produces 900 lakh kgs per year.

The auction centre in Siliguri is doing pretty well, then why should Jalpaiguri lag behind, Mr Roy said and asked if the Centre could send at least 10 per cent of the tea alloted for auction to Jalpaiguri so that the business can flourish in Jalpaiguri as it is doing in Siliguri.

Responding to this, Mr Ramesh said intiative in this regard will soon be taken.

UNI