Commercial tea farming has already become popular bringing fortunes to hundreds of
farmers and huge socioeconomic change through alleviating poverty in Panchagarh in
recent years.
The ‘small-scale gardening basis’ tea cultivation in plain land concept has got a firm
ground and become more profitable through attracting the small, marginal and common
farmers in Panchagarh.
According to the officials concerned and farmers, tea production has been increasing
every year since 2000 when the then Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina launched its
commercial cultivation in the sub-Himalayan district.
Officials in Bangladesh Tea Board (BTB) said, Panchagarh produced record quantity
of best quality 11,41,475 kg tea last year in 2012, which is higher by 99,975 kg than the
production in 2011 there.
Tea Development Officer of BTB Amir Hossain told BSS that Panchagarh produced
10,41,500 kg tea in 2011 and 8,80,452 kg in 2010. Some 6,58,724 kg were produced in
2009 while 5,37,324 kg in 2008 and 3,91,237 kg in 2007. During 2006, about 2,82,721
kg were produced while production was 1,61,226 kg in 2005.
“The average tea production has been increasing by over 100,000 kg annually in the
district since its commercial cultivation was launched by the then Prime Minister Sheikh
Hasina in 2000,” he added.
According to BTB sources at its Panchagarh Regional Office, the cash crop is now being
cultivated on 3,000 acres of land by some 422 small-scale farmers, 12 medium-scale
farmers and 22 bigger tea estates there.
The tea sector might prompt faster economic advancement of the common people,
farmers as well as working women, as the small and marginal farmers have been showing
more interests in farming the cash crop in the sub-Himalayan areas.
According to Panchagarh Chamber President Iqbal Kaiser Mintu the expanding tea sector
has improved livelihoods of the local people through creating employment for over 8,000
people including over 4,500 distressed and unemployed women.
“Commercial tea cultivation on ‘small-scale gardening basis’ has got stronger footage as
the small, marginal and medium farmers are earning profits by selling green tealeaves to
the tea processing factories in Panchagarh,” he said.
Tentulia Upazila Chairman Muktarul Haque Muku and senior journalist Shahidul Islam
said the new ‘small-scale gardening basis’ tea farming concept attracts the small, medium
and marginal farmers increasingly to boost Panchagarh economy.
Farmers Motiur Rahman, Solaiman and Kibria said small-scale tea farming has become
popular bringing more profits than other crops; they are selling each kilogram green tea
leaves at Taka 21 and expanding its farming every year.
Talking to BSS, female labourers Aklima Begum, Shukla Rani and Fuli Begum said
they are earning wages of Taka 150 on an average per day as plucking workers in the tea
gardens or fields in Panchagarh to lead better life after winning over poverty.
Currently, six companies including Tentulia Tea Company Ltd, Kazi and Kazi Tea
Factory, Kartoa Tea Associate Ltd (KTAL), Green Care Agro Limited, Green Energy
Tea Factory and North Bengal Central Tea Factory are processing tea in Panchagarh.
Project Director of KTAL Shah Alam Bhuiyan said growers are getting the best quality
tea leaves from their 3 to 4 year- old plants and predicted brighter prospect for further
expansion of its cultivation in Panchagarh and adjoining Thakurgaon areas. –BSS,
Rangpur
