SYLHET: The country's tea production this time would be higher than the last year's, officials said.
Since the national production is already 3.5 million kgs more till the end of October than the corresponding period last year, the industry officials expect that it would be about 82 million kgs by the end of the year.
Although there had been some pest attack on tea gardens in Moulvibazar district in summer, it did not affect national production much.
Contacted, Deputy Director (Planning) of Bangladesh Tea Board Manir Ahmed told this correspondent that the production is good till now.
As of till October the production stood at 66.72 million kgs, against 63.32 million kg.
It is about 3.42 million kgs more in the corresponding period last year. At the yearend it may be about 82 million kg, he added.
Director of Bangladesh Tea Research Institute (BTRI) Dr Mohammad Ali said as the region saw a good weather this year the total production may stand about 82 million kgs whereas it was about 80 million kgs of yield last year.
However, the country had the ever highest production at 85 million kgs in 2106.
Manager, Khan Tea Estate, a unit of M Ahmed Tea and Lands Company, Sylhet Humayun Kabir Liton, also vice-chair of Sylhet circle of Tea Producers' Association said all the gardens in the region have already got a good yield this year. It would surpass the last year's yield, he added.
Same was the opinion of General Manager of Sobuj Tea & Agro Company Md Shahjahan Akanda.
He owns three gardens in Moulvibazar district.
He said the industry would have better production than the last year's, mainly due to favourable weather.
During 2017 the yield was a little behind due to inclement weather, tea sector officials informed. There were excessive rains and poor sunshine during most of the producing season. It had hit the production much. Besides, fertilisation was hampered due to the excess rains.
Tea is considered a sensitive crop, which needs uniform rainfall and temperature all along.
Out of 162 tea gardens in the country, 135 are in greater Sylhet region, one in Brahmanbaria, 22 in Chittagong region, seven in Panchagarh.
Besides, about 200 small holding tea gardens, each of one to five hectares of land were established in Panchagarh, Bandarban and Thakurgaon in recent years.
