Most prices cased as buyers held the lower limits resulting in some withdrawals at the weekly lea auction sale held tn Chittagong on Tuesday last.

According to a Unity Brokers tea market report, market trend took a downturn and most tea prices were lower by Taka 0.50 with major buyers holding the lower limits tn the absence qf much competition. There were some withdrawals where sellers were unwilling to meet the market and also In the plainer categories.

Major buyers were Iran and Pakistan with Egypt picking up a small quantity to fulfill its quota against the last letter of Credit (LC). Smaller Brokers were generally withdrawn as demand for these were negll glble

AbouI 26.223 packages of leaf tea came under the hammer at the weekly auction sale (No. 23) on Tuesday In the leaf category export buyers ac counted for 43 per cent of the sale Internal buyers bought 14 per cent while the remaining 43 per cent were left unsold

In the dust tea category, in temal buyers accounted for 56 per cent of the sale, export buyers 9 per cent while 35 per cent remained unsold

The next weekly auction sale (No 24) Is scheduled to be held on October 15 and will comprise of about 25.500

packages of leaf and about 3.500 packages of dust tea.

The following is the category wise report of Unity Brokers of the performance of various tea-leaf products tn last Tuesday's auction sale:

CTC most good and medium Brokers cased by a Taka and occasionally little more. The plainer types declined further with a large quantity remaining unsold. Bolder Brokers were however • steady. Selective best lines sold between Taka 50 and Taka 52. Good and medium Fannings were generally absorbed at about a Taka lower than the last levels. Plainer and poorer types shed, between Taka 2 and Taka 3. Few popular lines sold between Taka 52 and Taka 53.80.

Orthodox: the entire quan tity on offer were all withdraw without registering any blds at the sale.

Green tea : 542 packages were offered. Withdrawals were high and prices ranged between Taka 61.50 and Taka 70