Northern Districts Set Tea Production Record

Bangladesh’s northern tea-growing belt has achieved a landmark year, with five districts collectively producing a record volume of tea and strengthening their role in the country’s rapidly expanding tea industry. According to the Bangladesh Tea Board, the districts of Panchagarh, Thakurgaon, Dinajpur, Nilphamari and Lalmonirhat now account for roughly 21 per cent of Bangladesh’s total tea production, marking a significant shift in the country’s agricultural landscape.

During the recently concluded season, Bangladesh produced approximately 94.9 million kilograms of tea nationwide. Of that total, more than 20 million kilograms originated from these five northern districts alone, reflecting the rapid expansion of tea cultivation beyond the country’s traditional tea-growing regions.

Record Production in the North

Data from the Bangladesh Tea Board shows that 20.24 million kilograms of processed tea were produced in the northern districts last year. This figure surpassed the government’s production target by 1.52 million kilograms and represents the highest output since tea cultivation began in the region around 2000.

The previous record was set in 2023, when the region produced 17.95 million kilograms, accounting for about 17 per cent of national production at the time.

Expanding Cultivation and Plantation Growth

Tea cultivation in northern Bangladesh now spans thousands of acres. Official figures show that in 2025 the total tea-growing area increased by more than 73 acres compared with the previous year, reaching nearly 11,600 acres.

The distribution of tea cultivation across the districts is as follows:

In addition, the region hosts 12 registered and 18 unregistered large tea estates covering more than 25 acres each. Alongside them are 2,225 registered and 6,146 unregistered small gardens, many operated by individual farmers and small cooperatives.

Overcoming Recent Challenges

Despite the recent success, the sector has experienced fluctuations in cultivation and profitability. In 2023, tea was grown on 12,132 acres, but farmers faced losses due to low prices for raw tea leaves. As a result, cultivation dropped to 11,527 acres in 2024, and some growers even uprooted their tea plants.

Investigations by agricultural officials revealed several causes behind the rising costs and declining productivity. Many farmers were applying fertiliser seven or eight times per season, exceeding the recommended maximum of three applications. At the factory level, inefficient processing practices—particularly skipping the crucial “withering” stage, where freshly plucked leaves are partially dried—resulted in machines running up to 17–18 hours daily, significantly increasing electricity costs.

After the proper withering process was reinstated, factories reported that the same quantity of tea could be processed within 7–8 hours, reducing energy expenses and improving tea quality.

Prices Rise, Confidence Returns

Improved quality and more efficient processing have also led to higher prices in tea auctions. In Panchagarh, the average auction price reached 242 taka per kilogram in 2025, compared with 162 taka in 2024.

Raw tea leaf prices also increased sharply. Although the official price remained 18 taka per kilogram, strong demand allowed farmers to sell leaves for up to 38 taka per kilogram during the latest season.

The improved profitability has renewed farmers’ interest in tea cultivation. In September 2023, Panchagarh launched Bangladesh’s third tea auction centre, operating through an online platform to support the growing industry. The region has so far approved 52 tea processing factories, including 30 in Panchagarh.

Local farmer Humayun Khaled from Roiseya village in Atwari upazila cultivates tea on 1.5 acres of land. After suffering losses for three consecutive years, he reported earning around 200,000 taka in profit during the latest season.

“I had almost lost interest and stopped caring for the garden,” he said. “Now that the sector is recovering, I plan to invest more effort. I hope to earn 400,000 to 500,000 taka annually from this land in the future.”

A Growing Northern Industry

The record output from northern Bangladesh demonstrates how the country’s tea industry is diversifying geographically while creating new income opportunities for rural farmers. With improved cultivation practices, stronger auction prices, and expanding processing infrastructure, the northern tea belt is emerging as a major contributor to Bangladesh’s agricultural economy.