CHATTOGRAM: The production of tea in Chattogram zone in the last seven months has declined, compared to the same period last year, largely due to the coronavirus outbreak and lack of irrigation in the dry season.
According to sources, the 21 tea gardens in Chattogram produced 4,460,727 kg of tea from January to July this year, down 4.56 per cent from 4,674,230 kg in the same period of last year.
The Asia Karnaphuli Tea Estate is the biggest tea garden in this zone, production of which saw an 11.38 per cent fall to 759,974 kg during the seven-month period from 846,463 kg in the same period of last year.
Only Halda Valley Tea Estate and Ramgor Tea Estate bucked the trend. Halda Valley produced 442,331 kg of tea from January to July this year, up from 419,399 kg in the same period of last year. The Ramgor Tea Estate saw an increase in production to 341,656 kg this year from 294,962 kg in January-July of last year.
Sources said the Halda Valley and Ramgor Tea Estate have irrigation system, but the 19 other gardens in Chattogram zone lack such facilities. So, production was badly affected in the dry season.
That apart, coronavirus outbreak also hampered the regular activities of the gardens and the process of tea auction in the past months, they added.
Jahangir Alam, chairman of Bangladesh Tea Association, Chattogram Branch, said, "The weather condition in the dry season was not suitable for tea production. Lack of rain and irrigation facilities adversely affected the tea production in the current year. Coronavirus outbreak has also created obstacles to properly maintaining and nursing the garden. As a result, the production has declined in the current year."
