BBLTFOA's work at the policy table — advocating for the tea industry before government, regulators, and international bodies.
Advocating for enhanced cash incentives, duty drawbacks, and VAT exemptions for tea exporters.
Collaborating with government to improve tea worker wages, housing, healthcare, and social protection.
Setting industry benchmarks for sustainable land use, water management, and chemical reduction.
Securing subsidised fertiliser, soft credit lines, and replanting grants for member gardens.
Engaging with Chittagong Tea Auction to ensure transparent price discovery and fair practices.
Representing Bangladesh tea at international forums to expand market access and brand image.
Submitted by BBLTFOA to the Tea Industry Task Force on Strategy Formulation, these four measures aim to strengthen the sustainable development and competitiveness of Bangladesh’s tea industry — with particular focus on the northern tea-growing region.
The current 15% VAT has unintentionally fuelled border smuggling and unreported factory-gate sales. A large share of production goes unrecorded — distorting production data, eroding government revenue, and creating unfair competition.
Our Recommendation
Limited field-level monitoring has led many northern growers to over-apply fertilisers, pesticides, and growth regulators — raising costs while harming leaf quality and long-term soil health.
Our Recommendation
Labour shortages — most acute across the Sylhet and Sreemangal estates — have become one of the industry's biggest operational constraints.
Our Recommendation
Bangladesh–Pakistan trade is heavily imbalanced — roughly USD 72M in exports against USD 750M in imports. Tea offers a strong opportunity to help close that gap.
Our Recommendation
BBLTFOA's comprehensive policy framework advocating for industry-wide development, investment incentives, and export promotion.
15 September 2025
Formal proposal submitted to the Ministry of Labour on revising tea worker minimum wage structure.
20 January 2026
Four measures submitted to the Tea Industry Task Force on Strategy Formulation: VAT reduction, technical support for northern growers, mechanisation & renewable energy, and preferential tea exports to Pakistan.
3 July 2026
BBLTFOA members can submit policy issues to the Advocacy Committee for collective representation before relevant authorities.
Submit a Policy Issue