Last week's rains in tea gardens, though scanty compared to needs, will initiate growth of plants but this will not be able to offset the damage caused by drought from October to March, they said.

The 97 mm rainfall spread over several days have only moistened lands, which will not be very much helpful if heavy showers do not take place soon, officials of Bangladesh Tea Research Institute (BTRI) at Srimongal told this correspondent.

There was no rain in gardens since October last. Such drought in tea producing areas was not seen since 1942, they said.

There are 163 gardens in seven tea valleys in Moulvibazar and Chittagong.

Normally plucking of leaves starts in February but this year it is yet to begin as drought retarded growth of plants, they said.

Tea gardens need 200mm rainfall between November and

December and 450 mm between January and March for normal production. But there was no rain from October to March this year.

Gardens in Balishira, Monu-Doloi, Laskarpur, Juri and Chittagang tea valleys have been severely affected by the drought.

Plants dried up and cracks appeared in some areas due to lack of rain. Budding has been delayed.

Red spider, a harmful insect, attracted many tea gardens, they said.

Chief Executive Officer of James Finlay said, plucking has not started in most of the gardens of the company as there was no budding due to drought.

The sources said the decrease in production will be a severe blow to the industry, already reeling under problems like plummeting prices in international market and decrease in export due to increase in domestic demand.