Guwahati, Aug 10 (IANS): A batch of Assam Orthodox specialty tea, produced at the Mokalbari Tea Estate in eastern Assam, was on Wednesday sold at the auctions in Kolkata for Rs 22,000 per kg.

According to the officials of the Mokalbari Tea Estate, the tea was bought by Kolkata-based Bhansali and Company for its Russian buyer Masterskaya of Tea.

The price fetched by the tea is the highest received from the Kolkata auction market so far.

Bhansali and Company's Director Anish Bhansali said: "We have many buyers across the globe who are interested in such specialty tea. Mokalbari, one of the top Assam Orthodox manufacturers, rarely sells such specialty tea through auctions. Our buyer is delighted to be able to purchase the tea."

According to Mokalbari Tea Estate Director Ajay Jalan, usually they export such high-valued specialties to Europe directly and rarely sell through the auction market.

"These delicacies are handmade from a special cultivar of tea. We are happy to receive good response from the buyers and will offer more such specialities in the future," Jalan said.

Mokalbari Group has three tea estates spread over 800 hectares of land, producing two million kgs of both CTC and Orthodox varieties annually with a well-trained labour force of 1,600.

Assam, which accounts for roughly 55 per cent of India's total tea production, has around 850 big tea estates. Besides, there are lakhs of small tea gardens owned by individuals.