Govt plans to produce 140 million kgs of tea by 2030'

The government has taken a plan to produce 140 million kgs of processed quality tea in the country by 2030 to export the product abroad after meeting its growing domestic demand.

Bangladesh Tea Board (BTB) Chairman Major General Md Ashraful Islam said this at a views-exchange meeting with tea growers, tea factory owners and other stakeholders at Circuit House auditorium in Panchagarh district town on Sunday as the chief guest.

He said the government has plans to set up a tea auction market in Panchagarh, the second largest tea producing zone (Kartoa Valley) in the country.

“The government and the BTB will extend all possible assistance to small-scale tea farmers in the northern region to enhance tea cultivation and increase its production,” he said, adding that small tea farmers are also being trained to achieve the goal.

“We have got approval to conduct mobile courts if domestic or Indian smuggled tea is sold in packets after packaging,” he said.

The BTB Chairman said Panchagarh is now the second largest tea producing zone in the country in terms of production, but lags behind in producing high quality tea.

“So why, farmers have to increase the production and quality of tea in accordance with the instructions of the BTB which is now working with three ‘Ps’ meaning Production, Quality and Price of tea,” he said.

Presided over by Additional Deputy Commissioner (Revenue) Abdul Mannan, BTB Director Dr AKM Rafiqul Haque, its Senior Scientific Officer (Entomology) and Project Director of Northern Bangladesh Project Agriculturalist Dr Mohammad Shameem Al Mamun, Development Officer Agriculturist Amir Hossain, President of Bangladesh Small Tea Garden Owners' Association Amirul Haque Khokan and Senior Journalist Shahidul Islam Shahid addressed the occasion.

Earlier, the BTB Chairman attended an on-field practical training workshop titled 'Camellia Open Sky School' organised by Panchagarh regional office of BTB for local tea growers with the slogan 'Improved Knowledge, Improved Tea' in the morning.