The Tea Board has postponed the rollout of its new web-based tea auction platform following representations from stakeholders across all auction centres, giving the industry more time to prepare for the transition. According to a trade advisory cited by The Hindu BusinessLine (July 1, 2026), the platform originally scheduled to go live in Kolkata on June 30 and at the Coonoor auctions on July 2 has been rescheduled.
Background: The Deferral and Revised Timeline
Following discussions between the Tea Board’s Deputy Chairman and stakeholders, the rollout has been rescheduled to commence in two phases. According to the trade advisory, the new platform will now be introduced from Sale 29 in Kolkata on July 14 and 15, followed by Coonoor on July 16 and 17. The remaining auction centres will migrate to the web-based system during Sale 30, scheduled for July 20-24.
| Auction Centre | Original Date | New Date (Sale 29/30) |
|---|---|---|
| Kolkata | June 30 | July 14-15 (Sale 29) |
| Coonoor | July 2 | July 16-17 (Sale 29) |
| Remaining centres | - | July 20-24 (Sale 30) |
Until further orders, catalogue uploading for all sales will continue simultaneously on both the existing NSEIT portal and the new Tradeforge platform to ensure a smooth transition, the advisory stated. The Tea Board has urged all stakeholders to extend full cooperation to facilitate the successful migration to the new system.
New Platform: Tradeforge vs NSEIT
The new platform, developed by Tradeforge Technologies Pvt Ltd under the Build, Own and Operate (BOO) model, marks a significant shift in the conduct of tea auctions across India. The Tea Board said the migration aims to provide a more user-friendly interface, enhanced security and improved cost-effectiveness, while retaining the existing auction mechanism and core functional processes.
Unlike the application-based NSEIT system that has been in use for several years, the Tradeforge platform is entirely web-based. Although the NSEIT platform had been functioning effectively, the government decided to appoint a new service provider for tea auctions, selecting Kolkata-based Tradeforge Technologies to develop and operate the new system, according to industry sources.
Industry Perspectives
Dhanjayan Krishnamurthy, president of the Nilgiri Bought Leaf Tea Manufacturers Association, stated that the migration to the web-based platform is expected to improve transparency and operational efficiency, ultimately leading to better price realisation for tea producers. This stakeholder feedback played a key role in the Tea Board's decision to defer the rollout, allowing participants across all auction centres to align with the new system.
Implications for Stakeholders
The deferral provides auction participants—including producers, buyers, brokers, and warehouse operators—additional time to test and familiarise themselves with the Tradeforge platform before mandatory use. The simultaneous operation of both portals during the transition period minimises disruption to trading schedules. For commodity traders and procurement teams, the shift to a web-based platform may reduce access barriers and enhance real-time data visibility, while the BOO model could lower long-term operational costs for the industry. The successful migration will depend on stakeholder cooperation and the platform’s ability to deliver improved transparency and efficiency as promised.
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