Tea’s history in Bangladesh as a popular recreational drink is almost a hundred years old. However, with economic development, the popularity of coffee is growing gradually in urban areas of the country. According to data, the projected revenue in the coffee market in Bangladesh would be $48.97 million in 2029, with an annual growth rate of 13.52%, up from the figure of $25.98 million in 2024. Most of the current demand for coffee is met through exports from different countries. Considering this, the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) and various nongovernmental organizations, including Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation known as PKSF and USAID Bangladesh, have been promoting coffee cultivation among farmers under their programs, creating livelihood options through cultivating cash crops like coffee and others. According to DAE, two varieties of coffee, arabica and robusta, are cultivated in Bangladesh. Due to favorable weather conditions, cultivation is mainly focused on the Chittagong Hill Tracts, comprising of three hill districts — Bandarban, Khagrachari and Rangamati — located in the southeastern part of the country. Meanwhile, DAE has initiated a project titled Research, Development and Extension of Cashew Nut & Coffee, which will cost 158.54 crore taka ($13.5 million) from 2021-25. Project data show that coffee cultivation currently occupies around 2,000 hectares (4,940 acres) of land. Of these, around 1,800 hectares (4,450 acres) are in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. All these plantations were in the last three years. Shahidul Islam, director of the cashew nut and coffee project, told Mongabay, “We are expecting to increase…This article was originally published on Mongabay
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