GUWAHATI, July 3: In a historic milestone for Indian tea, the first-ever batch of Indian-produced Matcha tea was officially sold during Sale 27 at the Guwahati Tea Auction Centre (GTAC), official sources informed on Friday.
The first lot of matcha tea, produced at Chota Tingrai Tea Estate in Upper Assam’s Tinsukia district, was sold at an auction price of Rs 3,000 per kilogram.
The lot was sold by auctioneer, J. Thomas and Co. Pvt. Ltd and bought by Sheosons Chai Co, Guwahati.
Matcha is a premium green tea made by finely grinding specially shade-grown tea leaves into a vibrant green powder. Unlike regular green tea, where the leaves are steeped and discarded, Matcha is whisked into water and consumed entirely, providing higher levels of antioxidants, amino acids, and natural caffeine.
Sharing the development on social media, Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said, “Furthering our glorious tea legacy, Assam becomes the first state in India to commercially produce Matcha tea at the Chota Tingrai Tea Estate in Tinsukia.”
“This diversification to the viral drink will help strengthen brand Assam Tea in the global markets. This has been made possible due to the strong India-Japan ties and our collaboration in various fields and has fetched a handsome price at the Guwahati Tea Auction Centre,” Sarma stated.
Matcha has become one of the fastest-growing specialty tea categories worldwide, driven by increasing consumer interest in wellness, functional beverages, and premium tea experiences.
“The successful auction of India’s first Matcha lot marks the country’s entry into the high-value Matcha segment. With India’s vast tea-growing expertise and expanding specialty tea production, Matcha presents an excellent opportunity to diversify exports, increase value realization, and strengthen India’s position in the global premium tea market,” Guwahati Tea Auction Buyers Association secretary, Dinesh Bihani informed.
“This is not just another auction…it is the beginning of a new chapter for the Indian tea industry. The Matcha tea has been purchased for domestic sale. It will be sold in the Northeast,” Bihani said.
