<h1>Tea authority orders withdrawal and authorized destruction of auction lots not meeting food-safety specs under Tea (Marketing) Control Order, 2003</h1> A tea marketing authority has directed that teas failing to meet the food safety regulator's specifications must be withdrawn from auctions prior to sale under the Tea (Marketing) Control Order, 2003, and sellers of such non-compliant lots must seek authorization from the authority for destruction. The circular enforces conformity with statutory food-safety standards and continues a prior mandate requiring all dust-grade tea produced annually to be sold via auction to promote transparency and price discovery. Trade bodies reportedly welcomed the auction mandate as supporting market integrity and quality compliance.