Rain brings smile to tea planters in Sylhet region
The heavy rain on Thursday came as a boost for the tea gardens in Sylhet as the shower could help the owners avoid the fall in output caused normally by drought at this time of the year.
"The rain has been very beneficial for us," said Iftekher Enam, manager of Chatlapur Tea Estate in Kulaura in Moulvibazar.
He said tea plants had started to dry as there had been no rain and irrigation was out of question because of huge cost involved.
On Thursday, 62 mm (millimeter) rain was recorded in the region. The rain is particularly helpful for plants aged upto five years, said Enam.
The rain is likely to help prevent the losses caused by the lack of rain, said Atikur Rahman Atik, manager of Khadim Tea Estate in Sylhet.
Shamim Huda, manager of Chandpur tea garden in Chunarughat upazila of Habiganj, said although the situation has improved it may take some more days to reap the benefit.
There are 131 tea gardens in Sylhet, which accounts for around 90 percent of 85 million kilogramme of tea produced in the country last year.
But nearly 95 percent tea gardens lack irrigation facilities, according to Mohammad Ali, director of Bangladesh Tea Research Institute (BTRI).
He said as the region is a hilly area, it is difficult for deep tube-wells to pump water. Water bodies, which are the main source for irrigation for tea gardens, do not hold water during the drought.
The drought period normally starts at the end of winter and continues until the rainy season starts. During this period, the wealthy tea garden owners have to use diesel-run motors to pump water and spray on tea plants.
But the rain will also help them save money, said the BTRI official.
Ali said red spider attacks have been reported in some areas. So, the rain will keep the spiders at bay.
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