Roadmap for growing better tea in Chattogram valley
Tea board chairman assures garden owners his office will provide all technical assistance needed
For better tea production in the Chattogram valley, industry stakeholders have recommended a set of measures that include using more organic fertiliser for soil fertility and following proper pruning cycles.
"Developing the irrigation system and adopting an integrated plan including disease control, will also increase tea production in Chattogram Valley," said Major General Md Ashraful Islam, chairman of the Bangladesh Tea Board, at a virtual discussion meeting on Sunday.
He called on tea garden owners of the region to ensure implementation of such steps and assured round the clock technical and technological assistance from the tea board and the Bangladesh Tea Research Institute.
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Despite record tea production (96.506 million kg) in 2021 across the country, production at the 23 Chattogram Valley tea gardens was relatively low due to drought and delayed rainfall. Early plucking, not following proper pruning cycles, and insect infestation also affected tea production negatively in the region.
Major General Md Ashraful, chief guest at the event, said last year (2021) tea production in all other valleys was higher than in 2020, but 23 gardens in the Chattogram valley produced 9.52 million kg of tea, which was less than in 2020.
The tea board chairman expressed hope that tea production in the region would increase next year.
Udalia Tea Garden Manager Rafiqul Islam, also the Chattogram Valley chairman echoed his optimism, saying that "rainfall at the beginning of the season this year is a great sign."
Bangladesh Tea Board's Member (Finance and Commerce), Nazneen Kawsar Chowdhury, Member (Research and Development) Mohammad Nurullah Noori, Director of the Bangladesh Tea Research Institute, Mohammad Ali, and Acting Director of the project development unit, AKM Rafiqul Haque, spoke at the meeting.
Munir Ahmed, deputy director (planning) of the tea board presented a comparative view of Chattogram Valley tea production at the virtual meeting attended by tea garden owners and other senior officials, including Acting Secretary of the tea board, Mohammad Ruhul Amin.
