The country saw a record amount of tea production in 2021, and Moulvibazar, a hub of tea gardens, immensely contributed to the increase in the overall output, thanks to favourable weather and facilitation from the government.
Though the Covid-19 pandemic adversely hit tea production it has made a comeback with increased production of 10.11 million kilogrammes till December 2021 than the same period in 2020, says the Bangladesh Tea Research Institute (BTRI).
Some 96.506 million kg of tea leaves were produced from 167 tea gardens across the country from January to December in 2021, which is the highest production in the country to date. Some 86.394 million kgs of tea were produced in the same period of 2020, which has increased by 10.11 million kgs in the following year, they said.
Not only that, producers have acquired 14.54 million kgs of tea leaves from tea gardens located on the plain lands in the northern districts in 2021, which has also set a record, said the BTRI officials adding that the tea production in these areas was 10.30 million kgs.
They further said abandoned land of each garden has been brought under tea cultivation. Tea cultivation has also increased in micro-farms in Panchagarh and Lalmonirhat, and that led to the increase in the output, they said.
If the current pace of production continues in the last four months of 2022, Bangladesh will set a new record for the past 167 years, thanks to good rainfall and favourable temperature, officials and garden owners said.
Of these 167 tea gardens, 92 tea gardens are in the Moulvibazar district, producing more than two-thirds of the overall tea output of the country. A large amount of tea can be exported after meeting local demand this year if the ongoing pace of production is sustained, GM Shibli, chairman of Bangladesh Tea Association, Sylhet branch, said.
General Secretary of Bangladesh Tea Traders and Planters’ Association, Jahar Tarafdar, said because of the proper amount of rainfall and favourable weather the country saw an excellent production last year.
“As the government is organising regular auction programmes for tea at the Moulvibazar, the producers are being able to sell fresh products with premium quality and obtaining good returns,” he added, expecting that if this production sustained, the country would certainly see a golden era of tea production.
Md Mohsin Miah, owner of Sree Gabindapur Tea Garden, said that the volume of tea production is consistently increasing every month, thanks to favourable weather since the beginning of this year and various initiatives taken by the Tea Board of Moulvibazar.
If the current pace continues in the remaining months of this year, he hoped that tea production would exceed the target by the end of the year.
He further said that the government had provided various incentive packages, cash assistance, and healthcare services to tea workers and producers, which increased efficiency and overall production.
