‘Proper agronomic management to boost tea output stressed’

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RANGPUR, June 16, 2021 (BSS) – Experts at an on-field training workshop have stressed on ensuring proper scientific agronomic management using latest technologies in tea cultivation to boost production of quality tea and earn more profits.

Bangladesh Tea Board (BTB) organised the event on ‘Selection of leaves, fertilisation and pest management in tea plantation’ for 55 tea growers at Panbara village of Mirzapur union in Atwari upazila of Panchagarh district on Tuesday, a press release said here today.

The event was arranged under the ‘Expansion of Small Holding Tea Cultivation in Northern Bangladesh Project’ of BTB following the ‘Camellia Open Sky School’ model to reach the latest scientific methods, technologies and tea-related services to farmers.

Senior Scientific Officer (Entomology) of BTB and its Project Director for the Northern Bangladesh Project Agriculturist Dr. Mohammad Shameem Al Mamun moderated the on-field practical training workshop.

Tea Development Officer at BTB’s Panchagarh Regional Office Agriculturalist Md. Amir Hossain and its Assistant Farm Superintendent Agriculturist Mohammad Sayedul Haque conducted different sessions in the workshop as resource persons.

Agriculturist Haque discussed scientific methods of plantation, selection and plucking of tea leaves, fertilisation, integrated and organic pests’ management, pruning and tipping and other important issues in tea farming on plain lands.

“Plain lands of the five districts– Panchagarh, Thakurgaon, Dinajpur, Nilphamari and Lalmonirhat– in the sub-Himalayan northern region are highly fertile and favourable for tea cultivation,” he said.

Agriculturist Dr Mamun said expanded tea cultivation on plain lands has already become a profitable venture for farmers creating employment for 25,000 people accelerating their socioeconomic development and improving living standard in the five northern districts.

“Farmers should continue expanding tea cultivation on plain lands ensuring proper agronomic management to earn higher profits than many other crops for faster economic development of the northern region,” he added.

At the end, tea grower Selim Sarker was adjudged as the best participant and awarded with a crest.

Later, Selim Sarker will conduct on-field training for small-scale tea growers of Panbara village and provide them necessary suggestions as a master trainer of ‘Camellia Open Sky School’ on tea cultivation.