Home ›› 23 Feb 2023 ›› Nation
Increased tea cultivation on plain lands in Panchagarh opens a new horizon in the economic development of the region.
According to Bangladesh Tea Board (BTB) sources, Panchagrah has become the third largest tea production region after Sylhet and Chattogram. The main characterisation of the district’s tea cultivation is that it is done on a small scale in the plain fields. Tea cultivation is increasing day by day as it produces better quality tea and is profitable. This has ushered in new horizons in the economic development of the country.
Last year, over 15 per cent of the national tea production was met from the northern districts of the country. In the last few years, tea production has increased significantly in the districts.
In the 2022 tea season, the northern region produced 1,45,40,000 kg of tea which is over 32 lakh kg more than the previous tea season. Many unemployed people in the areas have found financial solvency through working in the tea gardens.
Tea cultivation began in Panchagarh in 1996, after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina visited the district and talked about the potential of tea cultivation in the plains.
Initially, farmers planted tea on unused fallow lands but gradually the cultivation expanded as they found success. The industry got a boon in 2000 as several farms started cultivating tea in the district commercially.
BTB regional office sources said tea cultivation started in Thakurgaon and Lalmonirhat in 2007 and in Dinajpur and Nilphamari districts in 2014 after Panchagarh. There are currently nine registered and 21 unregistered large tea gardens in the five districts of the northern region.
Besides, there are 1,745 registered and 8,067 unregistered small-scale tea gardens. So far tea cultivation has been expanded on a total of 11,433.94 acres of land.
In 2017, 2,51,56,869 kg of raw leaves were harvested and 54,46,000 kg of tea was made from it.
In 2018, 84,67,000 kg of tea was processed from the harvested leaves. And in 2019, 95,99,000 kg of tea was processed from the harvested leaves.
In 2020, 1.03 crore kg of tea was processed from the harvested leaves. And in 2021, 1.45 crore kg of tea was processed from the harvested leaves.
In 2022, after harvesting 9,2,74,632 kg of green tea leaves, 1,77,59,226 kg of processed tea was made in 25 tea factories.
This production is 18.92 per cent of the national production, earning Panchagarh a top spot as a tea producer in the country.
With the help of the BTB, farmers are becoming more interested in tea cultivation as it is financially beneficial for them.
BTB’s Panchagarh regional office Scientific Officer Md Amir Hossain said there are 22 tea processing factories in Panchagarh, Thakurgaon and Lalmonirhat districts.
“These factories buy green tea leaves straight from farmers and process and sell them in the market. Fair prices and good harvest has encouraged the farmers to expand the cultivation,” he said.
Tea cultivation has increased significantly in the last five years as BTB has taken the initiative to provide seeds and training as incentives to the farmers.
To expand tea cultivation in the region BTB has launched several projects including ‘Camellia Open Air School’, and launching a mobile app called ‘Duti Pata Ekti Kuri’ to solve the problems of the farmers,
Amir further said that the once unused fallow lands of the region have now become green fields of tea plantations. Due to its quality, the tea produced in the district is also being exported abroad. The tea industry has also opened up employment opportunities for many people in the area.
Panchagarh Deputy Commissioner Md Jahurul Islam said, “I expect the government will continue to support the tea cultivation and production in the district. If a tea auction market is opened in Panchagarh this year, tea cultivation will increase along with further benefitting the region’s locals.”
According to him, a tea auction market will help the farmers get a better price, as well as save time and transportation costs and the government will also be able to collect revenue without any hassle.
