About one million kg of tea has been exported to 14 countries till May this year, marking a 33% increase from the previous year. State Minister for Commerce Ahsanul Islam Titu shared this information at a press conference at the Ministry of Commerce on Monday afternoon.
The state minister announced that the National Tea Award-2024 will be presented in eight categories to honor significant contributions to the tea industry. The awards will be given on National Tea Day, celebrated at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium in the capital on Tuesday, with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina attending as the chief guest. This year’s theme for Tea Day is “Smart Bangladesh Determination, Export-Oriented Tea Industry.”
During the press conference, it was revealed that the Ministry of Commerce, along with the Bangladesh Tea Board, will celebrate “National Tea Day” for the fourth time and award the “National Tea Award” for the second time. Bangladesh currently has 168 large tea gardens and about 8,000 small tea gardens. The state minister credited the sustained development of the tea industry to the pioneering initiatives of Bangabandhu and the various plans implemented by the current government.
In 2023, the country’s tea gardens produced 102.92 million kg of tea, setting a new record in the history of the tea industry. Titu noted that 1.04 million kg of tea was exported to 13 countries across Europe, Asia, and the Middle East in 2023, which is about 33% more than the previous year. To further encourage tea exports, a 3% export incentive is being provided.
Meanwhile, tea exports continue to rise, with around one million kg of tea exported to 14 countries by May 2024. The Ministry of Commerce and the Bangladesh Tea Board are actively working with industry stakeholders to boost tea exports by participating in international fairs, enhancing the promotion of domestic tea abroad, and tailoring tea production to meet international market demands.
