Md. Abdul Based Panchagarh Correspondent: The owners of the tea factories in Panchagarh are not buying green tea leaves from the plains. Farmers are facing financial losses as they are not able to sell the raw leaves from the right garden at the beginning of the season of good harvest
It is known that commercial tea cultivation started in Panchagarh district in 2000. In the past two decades, tea cultivation in the plains of five districts of Rangpur division in the northern region has increased several times. Now many farmers’ tea gardens have become full gardens (set gardens). Complementing the gardens means that tea farmers should return to economic prosperity. But the set gardens of these tea farmers are now on the verge of death. According to the information of Bangladesh Tea Board Regional Office, Panchagarh Office, tea has been cultivated on a small and large scale on 12 lakh 10 thousand 660 acres of flat land in Panchagarh, Thakurgaon, Dinajpur, Nilphamari and Lalmonirhat districts of Rangpur division. In 8 districts of Rangpur, 9 registered tea gardens, 21 unregistered tea gardens and 8 thousand 67 small tea gardens (registered 1745) have been cultivated on a total of 11 thousand 433.94 acres of flat land. There are 58 factories approved in 5 districts under Panchagarh Tea Board, out of which 28 are in production. Currently, out of 28 tea factories, 26 factories are closing for 2 to 3 days a week in coordination with the owners and buying green tea leaves. In addition, Green Care Tea Factory Ltd. located in Tentulia Upazila. Fabiha Tea Factory, Uttara Green Tea Factory located in Panchagarh Sadar and Sabuj Agro Tea Factory in Atwari Upazila have not yet started buying tea leaves. At the beginning of the harvest season, ordinary tea garden owners and farmers are being affected by such manipulation by the syndicate of tea factory owners. On the one hand, it is the season of garden leaves, on the other hand, not all factory owners are buying leaves. As a result, many farmers are unable to sell green raw tea leaves as the demand for leaves in the factories is less than production.
Abdul Latif, a small tea farmer from Magura village in Tentulia Upazila Sadar, and Abu Taher from Mominpara village said that green raw leaves can be harvested in 5-6 rounds a year. It takes 40-45 days to harvest leaves from one round to another. Accordingly, the time for the garden owners to harvest the 2nd round of raw tea leaves is currently underway. The costs of field maintenance have not been covered by selling the garden leaves in the 1st round. And in the second round, there was hope of making some profit by selling the garden leaves to compensate for the loss of the first round. But now I am not able to sell the garden leaves. In each round, I have to face various obstacles from the factory owners for selling the garden leaves.
Small tea farmers Rabiul Islam and Abu Hanifa of Galeya Para village in Panchagarh Sadar have cultivated tea on 3 acres of land separately. They said that they have to take the cereal a few days before the green leaves of the garden are cut. On the day of supplying the leaves, they discount (cut) the weight of the original leaves by 10% to 40% on various pretexts. Whereas last week, the factory bought 20-22 taka per kg of raw leaves, this week they are buying 17 taka. On the one hand, cutting the leaves, on the other hand, it takes fifteen days to 1 month to pay the farmers. As a result, we are facing financial losses.
Md., Chairman of the Board of Directors of Bismillah Tea Factory in Tentulia Upazila of Panchagarh district. Jahangir Alam Mia said, last week there was not enough supply of green raw tea leaves in the factory. We could not run the factory. But in a week, all the garden owners have become like picking leaves. Now there is a shortage of electricity. There are thunderstorms in the sky. Due to these reasons, the factory cannot be kept running regularly and the pace of work has slowed down. After that, two factories have not started operating locally yet. Their farmers’ pressure has also fallen on other factories. As a result, more leaves have accumulated than the production and processing capacity of the factory. Due to which the factory owners are struggling to purchase tea leaves.
In this regard, Panchagarh Regional Tea Board Development Officer Md. Arif Khan (acting) said, last week there was demand for green tea leaves in the factories and the price was also good. But at that time the farmers did not harvest the tea leaves. Currently, the leaves of the gardens have grown and many have leaves in their gardens. As a result, the production of leaves has increased. On the other hand, due to the shortage of electricity supply due to storms and rains, the factory owners are hampering the processing of green leaves and leaves are accumulating in the factory. Due to these reasons, farmers are facing some difficulty in supplying leaves. However, if any factory keeps their fields empty and does not purchase leaves; in that case, if we are informed, action will be taken against that factory.
