The Tea Board of India, on March 26, 2026, issued a circular extending the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for 100% dust tea auction for a further period of one year beyond December 31, 2025, with certain revisions to ensure effective implementation.
As per the revised provisions, all dust teas with factory gate pass dates beyond December 31, 2025, will mandatorily be routed through auction in line with the applicable Gazette notification and Board orders. Additionally, strict compliance with quality standards has been reinforced—teas not conforming to Food Safety norms must be withdrawn from auction prior to sale, with intimation to the Board.
In cases where banned pesticides are detected, such teas will be destroyed as per existing practice. For other quality failures, sellers may opt for retesting; compliant teas may be reintroduced for auction, while failed consignments must be destroyed. All other provisions of the earlier SOP remain unchanged and must be strictly followed.
[Circular Ref. No. LC-EAUCOMMPI/1/2025-Licensing/4614]
