BCIC whims peril tea gardens
Delayed allotment of urea in peak season, high price may affect production
Delayed allotment of urea fertiliser by Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC) has affected growth of tea plants in most gardens in the country during the current peak season, creating apprehension about attaining the production target.
On the other hand, withdrawal of subsidy on fertiliser would also push production cost of the export item, sources in the industry said.
They claimed that the second allotment was given last week while the time for use of the fertiliser was over weeks ago.
Sensitive tea plants need much more urea than other chemical fertilizers and there is alternative to that, said a tea scientist
Urea fertiliser should be applied in soil around plants twice a year--in April-May and July-August. Tea gardens in the country need 12,000 to 15,000 tonnes of urea and 6000 to 7000 tonens of Murate of Potash a year.
The state-run BCIC through its factories supplies the fertilisers as per demand of tea gardens made through Bangladesh Tea Board.
Normally first supply used to be made in the first half of May and the second one in the first half of July or August every year. But, this year the total supply stood at around 5000 tonnes in the first slot, said an official in Bangladesh Tea Board. The second consignment was given about 10 days ago, at least 4 to 6 weeks behind the due time. This will be of no use to gardens, industry people said.
Almost all the tea gardens failed to apply urea for the second time this year. A senior official of Bangladeshio Cha Sangsad, an organisation of tea garden owners, said yesterday they got delayed allotment letter from BCIC for the second consignment only last week.
“It is too late”, said Shafique Ahmed Choudhury, CEO of Finlays while talking to The Daily Star after getting the allotment letter from BCIC.
“It takes weeks for depositing money with the bank and lift the fertiliser from factory”.
“It will be of no use for us this year as the time for fertilisation is over”, he said. This delay will badly hit the tea sector this year.
On the other hand price hike of urea will enhance the production cost by 10 to 15 per, garden officials sad.
A top scientist at Bangladesh Tea Research Institute (BTRI) seeking anonymity said most of the gardens could not apply feritiliser in time due to delayed supply.
During the first allotment this year, fertiliser price was Tk 4800 per tonne, which rose to Tk 9,000 months ago and to Tk 12000 now, said an official in the Bangladesh Tea Board.
Manager of Somonbhag Tea Garden in Barlekha upazila of Moulvibazar Mohammad Shahjahan said, the second phase of fertilisation is very important for the crop. Its use has to be completed by mid-September at the latest, he said.
Shahjahan, also chairman of Juri Circle of Bangladesh Tea Association, said delayed application of urea may also cause diseases and pest attack on tea plants.
Numan Haider Chowdhury, general manager of Khadim Tea Estate in Sylhet and Circle Chairman of Bangladesh Tea Association, said production target might not be attained this year due to delayed application of fertiliser.
There are 164 tea estates in the country, including four small holdings. The total production varies from 55 to 60 million kilograms, almost two- thirds of which is consumed at home and the rest is exported.
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