Sylhet tea estate owners demand tea auction price hike

Tea garden workers plucking tea leaves in a Sylhet garden. UNB

Sylhet, Feb 11 –The owners and workers of 25 tea gardens in Sylhet have demanded the government to raising the auction price of tea to Tk 400 from the existing Tk 350 per kg. 

‘Tea Planter’ an organization of tea workers and owners came up with the demand at a press conference on Sunday. 

Mufti Mohammad Hasan, director (operation) of Maxon Brothers’ Tea Estate presented the keynote paper on behalf of the tea workers and owners. 

Addressing the press conference he said, “The auction price of tea is much lower than the production cost comparing to other industries. The cost of production has increased several times due to the increase in the prices of medicines and other products to control the diseases used in the garden, but the auction price of tea has decreased even more. This auction price is not profitable, it is not possible to bear the cost of production in any way.” 

Currently, the auction price has come down to Tk 100-110 from 170-175, he said. 

He also demanded steps to stop smuggling of tea, maintaining standard and marketing as per policy, establishment of tea tourism to ensure multiple income sources, and ensure agriculture loans on easy conditions. - UNB