Govt's target to raise tea production to 140m kg by 2025

The government has set a target to increase tea production to 140 million Kg by 2025, aiming to meet the country's growing demand and increase its exports, commerce minister Tipu Munshi said on Sunday.

Required research works have to be intensified and the number of tea gardens has to be increased to expand the production, and invent its new varieties, he told a meeting on tea industry at his official residence.

Bangladesh produced around 96.07 million kg of tea in 167 gardens in 2019 of which 95.209 million kg was consumed locally.

Expatriates' welfare and overseas employment minister Imran Ahmad MP, commerce secretary Md. Jafar Uddin, senior officials of the commerce ministry, and representatives from the Bangladesh Tea Board, Bangladesh Tea Association were present in the meeting.

Presiding over the meeting, Mr. Munshi said the government will continue to support the tea industry for its development. There is an opportunity to increase the number of tea gardens in the country and this opportunity should be utilised, he added.

He informed the meeting that the government has adopted a 'Development Roadmap" for the development of the sector and sought cooperation from the garden owners to implement.

Bangladesh Tea Board and the garden owners have to play an important role in the development of tea sector, he added.

He said the export of tea is not increasing as expected due to growing domestic demand. The volume of tea exports will have to be increased by expanding its production, he mentioned.

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