Tea production drops this year
Friday, 28 November 2008
Jasim Uddin Haroon
The country's tea production has dropped this year primarily due to unfavourable weather conditions and fertiliser crisis during April-May period, senior planters told the FE Tuesday.
A total of 47.258 million kilograms were produced in the country's 163 tea gardens until October this year against 47.305 million kilograms over the same period in 2007, according to planters,
August-September period is considered to be the peak season although the regular season starts from March and continues until December.
Planters hinted that at the end of the season in December, the total production might reach 56 million kilograms this year against 58 million kilograms in 2007.
"We might be able to produce at best 8.0 million kgs in the remaining two months totaling around 56 million kgs," said Mr Dhar, secretary of Bangladesh Tea Association.
Safwan Ahmed, vice chairman of Bangladesh Tea Association told the FE that less rain and late application of fertiliser were the main reason behind the production shortfall.
He said production in leading tea gardens including National Tea Company, Finlay Tea remained below target while some large gardens including Duncan had achieved their target.
Another senior planter working at Duncan told the FE that the production during the early months of this year was much below expectation adding "production increased only after June."
However, senior tea planters said the shortfall in the production will not affect the domestic tea market as Bangladesh's export to Pakistan fell sharply over the past few months.
Tea traders said many tea importers of Pakistan deferred their orders following 'poor economic situation' in Pakistan.
Bangladesh exports around 10 million kilograms a year to Pakistan under duty free access and it is the largest export destination for Bangladesh.
Bangladesh had a bumper crop in 2005 crossing all previous record at 60 million kgs. Bangladesh's domestic demand for the tea is around 48 million kgs.
The country's tea production has dropped this year primarily due to unfavourable weather conditions and fertiliser crisis during April-May period, senior planters told the FE Tuesday.
A total of 47.258 million kilograms were produced in the country's 163 tea gardens until October this year against 47.305 million kilograms over the same period in 2007, according to planters,
August-September period is considered to be the peak season although the regular season starts from March and continues until December.
Planters hinted that at the end of the season in December, the total production might reach 56 million kilograms this year against 58 million kilograms in 2007.
"We might be able to produce at best 8.0 million kgs in the remaining two months totaling around 56 million kgs," said Mr Dhar, secretary of Bangladesh Tea Association.
Safwan Ahmed, vice chairman of Bangladesh Tea Association told the FE that less rain and late application of fertiliser were the main reason behind the production shortfall.
He said production in leading tea gardens including National Tea Company, Finlay Tea remained below target while some large gardens including Duncan had achieved their target.
Another senior planter working at Duncan told the FE that the production during the early months of this year was much below expectation adding "production increased only after June."
However, senior tea planters said the shortfall in the production will not affect the domestic tea market as Bangladesh's export to Pakistan fell sharply over the past few months.
Tea traders said many tea importers of Pakistan deferred their orders following 'poor economic situation' in Pakistan.
Bangladesh exports around 10 million kilograms a year to Pakistan under duty free access and it is the largest export destination for Bangladesh.
Bangladesh had a bumper crop in 2005 crossing all previous record at 60 million kgs. Bangladesh's domestic demand for the tea is around 48 million kgs.