Experts at an on-field practical training workshop have stressed on adopting scientific methods and latest technologies in tea cultivation on plain lands to further boost its production. Bangladesh Tea Research Institute of Bangladesh Tea Board (BTB) organised the event on ‘Selection of leaves, fertilisation and pests’ management in tea plantation’ for 65 tea growers at Buraburi union in Tentulia upazila of Panchagarh on Saturday, a press release said today. The workshop 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 workshop. Development Officer at BTB’s Panchagarh Regional Office Agriculturist Md. Amir Hossain delivered speech in the workshop as a resource person. Agriculturist Hossain discussed the scientific plantation process, selection and plucking of tea leaves, fertilisation, integrated pests’ management (IPM) and pruning and tipping and other important issues in tea plantation on plain lands.Agriculturist Dr. Mamun said plain lands on the Kartoa Valley ecological zone comprising five northern districts of Panchagarh, Thakurgaon, Dinajpur, Nilphamari and Lalmonirhat are highly fertile and favourable for tea cultivation. “Commercial tea cultivation on small-scale basis on plain lands has already unveiled a new horizon of economic prospect for farmers and common people speeding up their economic development in the northern region,” he added. He called upon farmers for expanding small-scale tea cultivation on plain lands adopting scientific and organic methods ensuring proper agronomic management to enhance production of quality tea and earn higher profits in the northern region.
