Assam-made Chinese pu’er tea cakes auctioned at ₹12,000 a kg

…cakes or bricks, pu’er develops its distinctive character through fermentation and ageing. It has a deep, rich and smooth taste, with earthy and woody flavours, sometimes accompanied by subtle leathery or sweet notes. “ The pu’er auction is a milestone for Assam tea, which has been experimenting beyond the conventional black and green teas. It points to immense possibilities, creating higher-value products from tea resources in the State ,” NETA advisor Bidyananda Barkakoty said. “This opens the auction doors for phalap tea, the traditional tea of the Singpho community, particularly in the Margherita region of Tinsukia district. Phalap is traditionally…

…in 2023 at ₹9,000 per kilo. Aparaj Saikia of Gauripur Tea Industry said his firm began producing the Sheng-style pu’er tea, which takes a week from plucking leaves to processing and compressing into circular cakes. “ Sheng style is faster than the Shou style, which requires ageing for three to four years and controlled post-fermentation techniques. We adapted the Chinese style with the assamica variety of tea leaves found naturally in Assam ,” he told The Hindu. “Our process is entirely handmade, and it began with small batches for personal consumption before the commercial launch three years ago,” Mr Saikia, a member of the North Eastern Tea Association…