It is heartening to note that tea planters have exceeded the tea production target this year expanding plantation of this worldwide popular beverage.
As reported by this daily on Friday, in 2020, a total of 86,394,000 kgs of tea had been produced from 167 tea gardens in Bangladesh. Reportedly, target for tea production in the country was set at 75,940,000 kg last year. But 86,394,000 kgs of tea had been produced in 2020.
What is more encouraging is that a record quantity of 10,300,000 kgs of tea has been added to the national production from tea gardens on the plain and small-scale tea gardens in North Bengal alone. Tea farming began in the north in accordance with the direction given by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina during her visit to Panchagarh in 1996. Pragmatic policies taken by the incumbent government have made it possible to produce a record amount of tea this year from flat tea gardens and small tea gardens.
Necessary steps should be taken to
invent rough weather-friendly varieties of tea
Tea industry had long been one of the major contributors to our national exchequer. There is no denying that we are exporting tea to many different countries after meeting local demand, but the export volume will grow if production increases further.
Tea gardens need constant supply of utilities like water, gas and electricity to keep the factories running so that production may go up. We hope the departments concerned will look into this matter with due gravity. Also, there is a need to revise our trade policy to discourage imports of tea and boost exports of this aromatic beverage.
Of the 167 tea gardens in the country, 135 are located in the Sylhet division. But rough weather often hampers the country’s tea production in this region, Therefore, BTRI should look forward to conduct research and invent rough weather-friendly varieties of tea.
Bangladesh Tea Research Institute (BTRI) should devise a plan to produce newer varieties of tea as various kinds of tea like lemon tea, masala tea, ginger tea and tulsi tea are gaining popularity in the world market.