Dhaka, Bangladesh (BBN) – Bangladesh is going to join an international tea forum as proposed by Sri Lanka to develop the local tea industry and boost export, officials said.
“We’ll be benefited in terms of getting modern technology for tea plantation and processing from the leading tea exporting countries if it joins the forum,” a senior government trade official said, adding that the Sri Lankan government has sent a letter to the commerce ministry recently requesting Bangladesh to join the International Tea Producers Forum (ITPF).
Sri Lankan Minister for Plantation Industries Mahinda Samarasinghe in the letter to Commerce Minister GM Quader requested him to attend the ministerial meeting to be held early next year in Colombo to move the initiative forward to establish the ITPF, according to the officials.
The letter mentioned that the ministers of tea producing countries are expected to attend the ministerial meeting to be held on January 21, 2013 in Colombo for establishing the forum.
It said Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Indonesia, Malawi and Tanzania have all confirmed their concurrence to set up the ITPF.
Besides, to make the planned forum stronger, the Sri Lankan government has been communicating with other major tea producing countries such as Argentina, China and Vietnam.
Bangladesh exported tea worth US$ 3.38 million during the fiscal year (FY) 2011-12 which was $ 3.20 million during the previous FY. The growth was 5.63 per cent, according to the official figures.
BBN/SSR/AD-20Oct12-2:10 pm (BST)
