The Bangladesh Tea Association (BTA) has requested the government to allocate 1,800 tonnes of wheat at a subsidized rate for workers in the tea industry in the upcoming fiscal year 2023-24, according to sources. The BTA submitted a written appeal to the food ministry, urging them to incorporate this allocation into the national budget. In the current fiscal year 2022-23, the government had allocated 1,800 tonnes of wheat for the tea sector at a rate of Tk 19 per kg.
The Chairman of BTA expressed concerns about the rising cost of subsidization in his letter, citing factors such as lower global tea demand and increased production expenses including labor wages, materials, electricity, gas, and fertilizer prices. The tea industry is prioritized under the National Industrial Policy-2016, and the government aims to boost tea production to 140 million kg by 2025 to meet the growing domestic demand and expand exports.