CHAPTER-1
INTRODUCTION
1.1. General:
Tea is important exportable commodity in the international and selected as one of the ten core commodities of UNCTAD-sponsored integrated programme for commodities (IPC). Bangladesh lies in the north eastern part of south Asia between 20034/ and 26028/ North latitude and 88001/ and 92041/ East longitude (Siddiqi, 2001). This area is suitable for diversified agro-crops and other forest crops (Rahman, 1998). Among agro-crops tea is one of the potential resources and occupies the second position of cash crops of Bangladesh (kiron, 2004). Up to 2001, Bangladesh Tea board recorded 161 tea estates (BTRI, 2000). Tea cultivation in Bangladesh spread over the hilly regions on the eastern part mainly in five districts (Sylhet, Moulovibazar Hobigonj, Brahmanbaria & Chittagong). About 94% production comes out from the greater Sylhet district which obtains 93% of plantation area (BTRI, 2000). Now a day’s new concept of tea estate is the planting associated crops with tea in the tea estate to increase overall production. But about 30% area of total tea garden has in barren condition for various reasons like lake, degraded hill, less productive for tea (Ali, 2004). This land can be utilized by associated crops to increase the total production of the tea estate. Malnicherra Tea Estate is the pioneer in utilization of land of tea garden by different economic crops.
Productivity of the tea plantation industry in Bangladesh is the lowest. It was found that in 1998, on an average only 1,145 kg of tea was produced per hectare in Bangladesh. Where as in the same year, in India and Sri Lanka, production per hectare was 1,708 and 2,030 kg respectively. Both unfavorable climatic conditions and poor fertilization is mostly responsible for the low productivity. The age of tea bush is also an important factor affecting the productivity of tea plantations in Bangladesh. It is found that 23.3 per cent of total tea bush in Bangladesh is very old (over 60 years). These old trees cannot give good production. Only about 19 per cent of tea bush is found to belong to young group (5 to 20 years). This young bush is the most productive source of tea In India and Sri Lanka, about half of the tea bush belongs to the young age group.
Bangladesh is producing about 57 million kg of tea annually from about 52000 hectares of land. In the year 2001 Bangladesh produced 56.82 kg, which was 1.9% of total production of the world (Ali, 2004). It earns foreign exchange equivalent to about 915 million taka annually by exporting about 12.20 million kg of tea (BTRI, 2000). Bangladesh tea sector contributes 0.22% of GDP. It is now ranked 9th position in the world. In this industry about 0.15 million people employed which is 3.3% of country’s total industrial employment. (Alam, 1994). These revenue can be increased by utilize the area which barren or less productive for tea by planting associated crops and their proper manage it properly
Large area is barren in the tea estate Bangladesh. If it utilize properly then it can be a major source of income for tea estate. In the tea estate many labors remain inactive in different season when work intensity is less. But tea estate authority must be given salary to the labors. Different crops in the tea estate can be distributed in different season. It will also increase the employment opportunity of the local people in the tea garden also in the crops processing industries like rubber industry. For these reason research has done to explore the status and efficiency of economic crops in the Malnicherra Tea Estate as pioneer garden in this regard.
1.2. Objectives:
1. To explore the cultivation and management techniques at malnicherra tea estate.
To explore the status of associated crops at malnicherra tea estate
