Assam Tea Estates Try Rare Yellow Tea to Target Premium Buyers
Bhergaon Tea Estate in Assam has sold yellow tea at the Guwahati Tea Auction Centre, as more producers move toward speciality teas to improve value.
Assam’s tea industry is exploring rare speciality varieties as estates look for better returns in both domestic and export markets. Instead of relying only on traditional black teas, some producers are experimenting with handcrafted and smaller-batch styles that can fetch premium prices.
Yellow tea sold at Guwahati auction
The latest example was seen at the Guwahati Tea Auction Centre (GTAC) Sale No. 29, where yellow tea from Bhergaon Tea Estate drew strong interest. A 2-kg lot of the tea sold for ₹13,334 per kg. The lot was sold by tea broker J. Thomas & Co. Pvt. Ltd. and purchased by Vedanta Tea Company of Guwahati. The buyer is reported to be sourcing the tea for a café in Rajasthan.
Yellow tea is known as one of the rarest tea types. It is produced in limited quantities because of a more labour-intensive manufacturing process. After heat treatment, the tea undergoes an additional “yellowing” stage, which is linked to a mellow liquor and a smoother taste compared with conventional green tea.
Speciality push beyond CTC and orthodox teas
Bhergaon Tea Estate, located in Udalguri district on the north bank of the Brahmaputra, is expanding its speciality portfolio alongside conventional CTC and orthodox teas. The estate said it has also been developing other varieties such as white tea and “golden tips,” receiving encouraging feedback. According to the estate, yellow tea was developed in-house by its factory tea maker, Bhrigu Parasar, who specialises in speciality teas. The estate described yellow tea as the most time-consuming and labour-intensive among the speciality options it makes, due to the extra processing needed for its distinct flavour.
The estate plans to increase production after the auction response, saying the tea can gain wider market traction if quality is maintained consistently. It also highlighted that Arunachal Pradesh’s Donyi Polo Tea Estate introduced yellow tea at GTAC in 2018, and Bhergaon’s current offering reflects a growing interest in speciality teas across the region. With production costs rising and conventional tea prices fluctuating, industry watchers say these innovations may help Assam strengthen its position in premium tea markets while improving value for growers.
