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Tea output slightly below target

Iqbal Siddiquee, Sylhet
The tea industry' failed to meet its production target last year, owing mainly to a delay in the supply of fertiliser by state-run Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC).
The total tea output stood around 58.75 million kilograms (kg) against the target of 60 million.
Industry insiders and a number of tea scientists, however, said a good yield of tea was possible because of a comparatively favourable weather conditions throughout the year.
An official df the Bangladesh Tea Research Institute (BTRI) said after a generous yield in 2007, the production target was fixed for 2008. In 2007, production stood at 57.96 million kg, while it was 53.41 million kg in 2006.
The country had the highest-ever tea production of 60.14 million kg in 2005, thanks to favourable weather conditions, the official said.
The production was 56 million kg in 2004, 58.3 million kg in 2003, 53.62 million kg in 2002, 56.82 million kg in 2001, 52.64 million kg in 2000, 47.19 million kg in 1999, 55.83 million kg in 1998 and 50.83 million kg in 1997.
Md Shahjahan, manager of staterun Somonbhag Tea Estate of Juri valley. told The Daily Star yesterday, the region experienced a good rainfall from the beginning of March. In addition, temperatures and sunshine were also favourable, which is very important for the sensitive crop. Unfortunately, the inability to manage fertilisers and rehabilitate the status of the soil nutrients did not yield satisfactory results.
An official of Bangladesh Tea Board said although the use of fertilisers is a regular practice for gardeners, the delayed supply resulted in a low output.
Potash and NPK fertiliser are very important for tea plants in March -April. Tea gardeners need these imported fertilisers on time. A rise in the price of the item also badly hit the industry, the official admitted. Most of the gardens failed to apply the second instalment of urea as the BCIC supplied it much later than its requirement time.
Numan Haider Chowdhury, general
manager of Khadim Tea Estate in Sylhet, said tea is a very sensitive crop, which needs uniform rainfall and sunshine, especially during the period from March to September-October.
"We suffered slightly due to the shortage in fertilisers and erratic rainfall." Numan, also the circle chairman of Bangladesh Tea Association's North
Sylhet valley, said, adding that tea is an important cash crop for Bangladesh. It is one of the largest agro industries in the country. There are 160 tea estates, totaling production to about 55 to 60 million kg. Roughly, two third of the productions is consumed at home, while the remaining is exported, which fetches substantial foreign exchange.