The comparative district-wise average price analysis of Bought Leaf Factory (BLF) teas for February and March 2026 highlights a rapidly evolving tea market increasingly shaped by quality differentiation, selective buyer preference, and widening regional price divergence across India’s major tea-producing regions

The March 2026 BLF tea price data highlights a clear shift toward quality-driven market dynamics, with premium-producing districts strengthening their position while volume-oriented regions continue to face pricing pressure. Compared with February 2026, the latest figures show a sharper divergence in realizations, driven by selective buying patterns that increasingly favor quality consistency, liquor strength, and manufacturing standards over bulk supply.

Andhra Pradesh emerged as the strongest performer, recording a dramatic rise in average BLF prices to Rs 231.69 per kg in March from Rs 117.88 per kg in February, marking the most significant month-on-month gain across all reporting regions and reinforcing its emergence as a premium market.

Assam continued to show wide intra-state variation, with premium districts recording strong gains. Jorhat rose to Rs 181.95 per kg from Rs 158.07 per kg, Biswanath Chariali increased to Rs 171.45 per kg from Rs 136.76 per kg, Sibsagar improved to Rs 176.47 per kg from Rs 160.49 per kg, Cachar strengthened to Rs 195.75 per kg from Rs 165.39 per kg, and Nowgong rose sharply to Rs 165.89 per kg from Rs 132.10 per kg. In contrast, several volume-oriented districts weakened, with Dhubri falling to Rs 138.56 per kg from Rs 157.23 per kg, Dibrugarh easing to Rs 132.89 per kg from Rs 148.23 per kg, and Tinsukia declining slightly to Rs 124.88 per kg from Rs 126.84 per kg, highlighting a widening premium–non-premium divide within the state.

South Indian markets remained broadly stable with limited movement. Chikmagalur recorded a marginal decline to Rs 172.66 per kg from Rs 175.03 per kg, while Idukki softened to Rs 128.79 per kg from Rs 132.61 per kg and Wayanad declined to Rs 126.59 per kg from Rs 136.42 per kg. Nilgiri and Coimbatore also showed minor declines, reflecting stable but subdued pricing conditions compared to northern premium regions.

West Bengal displayed selective improvement, led by Jalpaiguri, which rose to Rs 153.85 per kg from Rs 134.44 per kg. North Dinajpur improved to Rs 120.90 per kg from Rs 111.52 per kg, while Darjeeling Plains remained stable and Cooch Behar showed negligible movement, indicating mixed but steady market performance.

In the northeastern region, Tripura strengthened to Rs 130.95 per kg from Rs 124.21 per kg, reflecting gradual improvement in demand, while Nagaland witnessed a sharp correction to Rs 124.67 per kg from Rs 235.59 per kg. Arunachal Pradesh showed mixed movement, with Changlang improving to Rs 125.74 per kg from Rs 116.11 per kg and Lohit declining to Rs 114.49 per kg from Rs 118.37 per kg.

Overall, the February to March comparison clearly indicates an increasingly quality-driven BLF tea market, where premium-producing districts are gaining stronger bargaining power and improved price realization, while volume-oriented regions remain under pressure. Local factors such as crop quality, auction dynamics, supply consistency, and buyer competition are playing a growing role in price formation across districts.

The trend suggests that premium districts are likely to retain stronger pricing power going forward, while competitive mass-market regions may continue to face pressure unless quality improvements and operational efficiencies are achieved in the upcoming season.