India’s love affair with chai is long-standing and well-known. We cannot imagine starting our day in any other way than with a cup of chai. This comforting brew has many regional varieties and versions which are produced across the country and even the world. Recently, one such rare tea variety from Assam, called Manohari Gold Tea, has been sold for a record price of Rs. 1 Lakh per Kg by Manohari Tea Estate. The tea was purchased by Saurav Tea Traders at the Guwahati Tea Auction Centre (GTAC). An official from the auction said that this was the highest bid ever received by a tea at the auction.

Manohari Gold Tea, a rare variety of tea in Assam sold for Rs 1 lakh per kilogram on Tuesday at Guwahati Tea Auction Centre: Bidyananda Barkakoty, Adviser, North Eastern Tea Association (NETA) pic.twitter.com/XZ6SuddVd0— ANI (@ANI) December 14, 2021

Rajan Lohia, the owner of Manohari Tea Estate, said to NDTV, “We made the tea with the small bud with finest clove P-126. Every year our target is to produce 10 kg of Gold Tea but this year we produce 2 kg of Gold Tea. For tea production, the weather and soil quality of Assam is perfect. We only give stress to quality.”

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Bidyananda Barkakoty, Adviser, North Eastern Tea Association (NETA), said to ANI, “The Manohari Gold Tea which has been sold today is a specialty tea. The techniques used in its plucking and preparations are very unique.” He further revealed that many such expensive and unique tea varieties are being made and sold in Assam. Thus, not just the regular Kadak chai but varieties such as purple tea and yellow tea are also being grown now. “Small tea-growers in Assam are also making handmade tea. This specially crafted tea is much in demand across the world,” he added.

Twitter users also reacted to the amazing news of the rare Assam tea. Take a look:

1kg of specialised Assam tea sells for ₹99,999 at Guwahati auction. Saurabh Tea Traders won the bid for specialised tea branded as Manohari Gold and produced by Manohari Tea Estate in Dibrugarh. There’s a very high demand for Manohari Gold tea and become popular worldwide. pic.twitter.com/s3avF5Yg9G— Nandan Pratim Sharma Bordoloi ???????? (@NANDANPRATIM) December 14, 2021

Very much elated to share that continously for the 4th time in a row Manohari Gold Tea of Assam fetched the highest price ever ₹99,999/- per kg at GTAC.
This will regain the lost fame of Assam Tea if the quality is maintained like Manohari Tea Estate.@himantabiswa@PiyushGoyalpic.twitter.com/iErImE7Aki— Chandra Mohan Patowary (@cmpatowary) December 14, 2021

Cutting chai anyone ? #ManohariGoldTea from #Assam merely cost ₹1 lakh per kg ???? #AssamTea@Chaayospic.twitter.com/CSFHpCmSK2— Tridip K Mandal (@tridipkmandal) December 15, 2021

Interestingly, the same tea had also created records in the years 2018 and 2020. In 2018, Manohari Gold Tea was sold at a price of Rs. 39,000 per kilogram while in 2020 it fetched a record-high price of Rs. 75,000 per kg.