3 tea processing plants to be set up in CHT

Land selection have already been started and the factories may start operation by the middle of next year, Bangladesh Tea Board (BTB) Chairman Brig. Gen (Rtd) Mosaraf Hossain told newsmen here on Monday. They will be set up with BTB assistance.

BTB Member (Research) Kamal Uddin, Krishi Bank General Manager in Chittagong Region Faiz Ahmed, Bandarban Deputy Commissioner Sheikh Alauddin, Bandarban District Small Tea Holding Owners Association President Prof. Mohammad Osman Goni, its secretary Mong Kew Ching Chowdhury also spoke on the occasion.

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The BTB Chairman also visited some newly raised small tea gardens and nurseries in Sualock, Pulpara and Dolupara in the district and inaugurated the Maitree Tea Nursery at Haludia in Sualock.

The BTB meantime held discissions with three investors in the sector, the BTB Chairman said.

He said BTB will set up an office at Sualock near Bandarban town to help new tea growers with necessary technical and financial assistance. The district administration has agreed to give eight acres of land for this, he added.

Tea cultivation started in Bandarban under private initiative in 2003.

BTB sources said that to encourage tea cultivation in the area, an investor is given Tk 15,000 as grant to buy seedlings and Tk 1.26 lakh as loan per hectare, repayable in five installments.

They said initially 25,000 hectares will be brought under tea plantation in Bandarban.

Meanwhile, with the help and cooperation of the district administration, about 500 hectares have been prepared and out of it, 200 hectares have been brought under plantation.

BTB sources told this correspondent that about 46850 hectares in Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) are suitable for tea plantation.

Inituially, 6332 hectares in four upazilas in Khagrachari, 3475 hectares in three upazilas in Bandarban and 1250 hectares in three upazilas in Rangamati have been selected for tea plantation, they said.