MINTU DESHWARA

Tea production in the country has been severely affected by the ongoing heatwave and drought, which have persisted since the end of Chaitra.

Tea gardens are reporting significant losses as new buds fail to sprout and newly planted tea saplings wither under the scorching sun.

Industry insiders fear that if the current conditions persist, the sector may fall short of this year’s production target, continuing the trend from last year when the industry also failed to meet its target due to issues like load shedding.

Md Anisur Rahman, in charge of the Sreemangal Meteorological Observatory, said the region typically receives 15-20mm of rain during this time of year.

“Last March, we had 48mm. This year, only 4mm was recorded. There’s been virtually no rainfall in the last five months.”

According to the Bangladesh Tea Board, Bangladesh has 167 tea estates, of which 92 are located in Moulvibazar district alone. The Bangladesh Tea Board set the production target for 2025 at 102 million kilogrammes. However, only 3,64,000kg of tea was produced in January, a figure far below expectations.

According to estate officials, extreme heat and lack of rainfall have dried up many tea hills. Around 40 percent of newly planted saplings and 10 percent of mature tea bushes have already been damaged. In many gardens, workers are struggling to maintain plantations through limited irrigation due to lack of water sources.

Now is the crucial time for plucking tea leaves, but the bushes are not The

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