Tea output behind target for 2nd consecutive year

Once again, country's tea production failed to reach target for the second consecutive year despite experiencing better rainfall.

The budding of tea leaves and spurt was badly stalled during the main production period in 2002 due to the unfavourable weather on an average.

The tea production is expected to be about 52 million kilograms against a target of 56 million kilograms, an official source said.

An official in the Bangladesh Tea Research Institute (BTRI) said that production had declined in all the 160 tea gardens spread over 6 valleys of the country.

The Balisera and Monu-Doloi valley in Moulvibazar district, the largest tea producing valley, suffered this year. Though the situation at Laskarpur and Juri valley was little better but it failed to cover the overall shortfall.

Some tea scientists said that the second 'flash period', which begins from end May up to July, is considered important for tea industry. It plays a vital role in the whole year's production.

But the uneven rainfall from the very start of tea production season hampered the production. In May last year, there was a total rainfall of 620 mm, a record in 20 years. Besides, heavy shower on most of the days during the second 'flash period' washed away the fertilizer applied to the tea plantations.

According to the reports of the meteorological department's observation centre at Srimangal, the tea-producing region experienced 3212 mm rainfall in 2002 against 2958 mm in 2001. Though it was little helpful for tea production last year, things went wrong due to the uneven distribution of rain and inadequate sunshine coupled by inconvenient temperature, a tea scientist viewed.

According to the BTRI sources, in recent years the highest tea production was witnessed in 1998. It was the worst in 1999 while it was better in 2000 and in the year 2001 it was average- a little behind the target.