Chattogram Bureau :
The first tea auction of the 2021/22 year will be held on 3 next month. In this auction year, 48 auctions will be held at Chittagong Tea Auction Center and 22 at Srimangal Tea Auction Center. The decision was taken at a meeting of the Tea Sales Co-ordination Committee held on Sunday under the chairmanship of Bangladesh Tea Board Major General Md. Zahirul Islam, NDC through Zoom Application.
As per the decision of the meeting, the 1st auction of Chittagong Tea Auction Center will be held on May 03, 2021 and the 1st auction of Srimangal Tea Auction Center will be held on May 05, 2021. Subsequently, the number of auctions will be increased or decreased as required in keeping with the production and supply of tea.
The chairman of the Board, instructed TTAB and TPTAB to conduct tea auction activities following the guidelines to prevent coronavirus infection by following proper hygiene rules: All guidelines and hygiene rules issued by the government including proper use of soap / sanitizer, mask and hand gloves for hand washing in auction centers, broker houses and warehouses should be followed properly. Seating should be arranged at a minimum of 6 feet after maintaining social distance at the auction center. If there is not enough space for everyone in the existing auction center, the auction center will have to be shifted to a bigger hall.
He also instructed to make the online tea auction system fully operational quickly. “There is no alternative to e-auction to continue tea marketing activities as coronavirus infections are on the rise,” he added. It is to be noted that on March 15, Emphasizing on the importance of tea exports at the meeting, Chairman of the Board told the exporters, “Considering the demand and trends of the international market, we need to produce quality and varied tea and use improved, attractive and international quality tea packaging. “In this regard, the Board Member (Finance and Trade) said.
Nazneen Kawser Chowdhury (Joint Secretary) said, “The Tea Board has recently taken various initiatives to accelerate tea exports. The obligation to export tea within 180 days of purchase has been relaxed through correspondence with the National Board of Revenue. Initiatives have been taken to provide cash subsidies and incentives to tea exporters. In accordance with the international market demand of Bangladeshi tea producers and exporters needed to maintain the quality of the guidance and the Tea Board is to be monitored on a regular basis. ”
Among others present at the meeting were Bangladesh Tea Board Member (Research and Development) Mohammad Nurul Alam Chowdhury (Additional Secretary), senior officials of Tea Board, Bangladesh Tea Association Chairman Shah Alam, Tea Traders Association of Bangladesh (TTAB) Chairman Shah Mainuddin Hasan.
