Source: Daily Industry

Tea production increased by 23 pc

Country’s tea industries are now going to make a new record by producing huge quantities of tea in this season, insider said. The production has breached all the previous records, thanks to the government for taking several initiatives to increase the production.

Around 52.5 million kilograms of tea was produced in 166 tea gardens across the country last eight months (January-August), while the production was 42 million kilogram in the corresponding time of the last year. Tea production has increased by about 23 percent in the year.

Though, recently the weather was not favorable for the tea growers, the hard works along with planned expansion projects helped the sector to gain record production, Md Shah Alam, President of Bangladesh Tea Association said.
He said “A number of tea growers have expanded tea farming areas in the last six to seven years.”

He said “We have also taken a number of initiatives including replanting projects where the plants aged over 40 years were replaced with the new ones. This effort has fueled tea yield in the last couple of years.”

Munir Ahmed, Deputy Director of Bangladesh Tea Board said, the government has reduced the bank interest rate from 4 percent to 9 percent for the growers, which has boosted tea production.

He said, the rising of tea consumption in Bangladesh has also encouraged the tea growers to invest more for expansion of their gardens in the last couple of years.

Industry insider said, country’s tea industry is going to value add. In course of time, lifestyles have been changed. Now, the people want to take various tastes from tea. Sensing the demand of time, multiple teas including tea bag have become available in the market.

The industry owners are working to shift the consumers to the tea bag culture from taking loose tea.
“In the past, people used to drink normal black tea. But now, they are not satisfied with the normal tea and moved to organic and value added products in concern of their health benefits and tastes,” SM Didarul Hasan, Senior Manager (marketing) of MM Ispahani Limited said.

He said “The demand of premium brands have inspired us to develop higher valued and nice products.”
Every year, 3-5 percent of people are being interested to the premium products. Sensing it, manufacturers have to produce premium products. Tea is not outside of this trend.

“Tea consumption is considered as an indicator of national economic growth. More consumption of tea means people have enough money in their pockets,” Nader Khan, Chairman of Halda Valley, a producer of premium tea said.

“Tea is considered as the second best drink after water. To select a tea brand, most of the consumers consider the health benefits. In this circumstance, they are leaning into green and organic tea instead of caffeinated drink,” Asma-ul Roxana Sylvia, Head of Operations of Kazi & Kazi Tea said.

Ginger Tea, Tulsi Tea, Medley Tea, Orthodox Black Tea, First Flush Tea, Green Tea, Orthodox Green Tea, Jasmine Green Tea and White Tea are significant among the many other value added tea products.

Experts said, the demand of organic and value added tea is increasing around the world, which opens a new door for the Bangladeshi producers. European Union, US, Middle East and China are the potential markets for Bangladeshi tea producers.

They said, to select the brand of tea from export markets, retailers choose a country where they get organic and premium quality of tea. Local companies are producing customized organic and premium tea considering the demand.

According to Bangladesh Tea Association, local exporters are now exporting the local items to the US and other countries and getting a good response from buyers.