RANGPUR, Oct 17, 2021 (BSS) - The government has taken a plan to
produce 140 million kgs of processed quality tea in the country by
2030 to export the product abroad after meeting its growing domestic
demand.

Bangladesh Tea Board (BTB) Chairman Major General Md Ashraful Islam
said this at a views-exchange meeting with tea growers, tea factory
owners and other stakeholders at Circuit House auditorium in
Panchagarh district town today as the chief guest.

He said the government has plans to set up a tea auction market in
Panchagarh, the second largest tea producing zone (Kartoa Valley) in
the country.

“The government and the BTB will extend all possible assistance to
small-scale tea farmers in the northern region to enhance tea
cultivation and increase its production,” he said, adding that small
tea farmers are also being trained to achieve the goal.

“We have got approval to conduct mobile courts if domestic or Indian
smuggled tea is sold in packets after packaging,” he said.

The BTB Chairman said Panchagarh is now the second largest tea
producing zone in the country in terms of production, but lags behind
in producing high quality tea.

“So why, farmers have to increase the production and quality of tea in
accordance with the instructions of the BTB which is now working with
three ‘Ps’ meaning Production, Quality and Price of tea,” he said.

Presided over by Additional Deputy Commissioner (Revenue) Abdul
Mannan, BTB Director Dr AKM Rafiqul Haque, its Senior Scientific
Officer (Entomology) and Project Director of Northern Bangladesh
Project Agriculturalist Dr Mohammad Shameem Al Mamun, Development
Officer Agriculturist Amir Hossain, President of Bangladesh Small Tea
Garden Owners' Association Amirul Haque Khokan and Senior Journalist
Shahidul Islam Shahid addressed the occasion.

Earlier, the BTB Chairman attended an on-field practical training
workshop titled 'Camellia Open Sky School' organised by Panchagarh
regional office of BTB for local tea growers with the slogan 'Improved
Knowledge, Improved Tea' in the morning.