3.4 lakh tonnes fruits produced in Rangpur region: DAE
Some 40,000 farmers have achieved self-reliance through fruit cultivation
RANGPUR: The farmers produced 3.35 lakh tonnes of fruits worth Tk 934 crore during the 2016-2017 fiscal in all five districts under Rangpur agriculture region and earned well after meeting nutrition of their family members.
Officials of the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) said some 40,000 farmers have achieved self-reliance through fruit cultivation that has become a profitable venture in the agriculture sector in the region.
The farmers are expanding cultivation of fruits on commercial basis every
year after getting repeated bumper production with lucrative price in recent years, said Khondker Md Mesbahul Islam, Horticulture Specialist of the DAE at its regional office.
He said the farmers produced 3.35 lakh tonnes of 41 varieties of high- priced, quick growing, high yielding, hybrid and indigenous varieties of fruits cultivated on 24,251 hectares of land worth Taka 934 crore during the 2016-2017 fiscal in the region. Of them, they produced 79,667 tonnes of mango worth Tk 320 crore, 64,279 tonnes of jackfruit worth Tk 32 crore and 13,285 tonnes of litchi worth Tk 133 crore and 16,990 tonnes of guava worth Tk 85 crore.
They produced 93,122 tonnes of banana worth Tk 56 crore, 4,972 tonnes of jujube worth Tk 27 crore, 17,592 tonnes of papaya worth Tk 18 crore and 11,775 tonnes of coconut worth Tk 29.50 crore. Besides, the farmers produced 15,976 tonnes of betel nut worth Tk 160 crore and 17,437 tonnes of 33 other varieties of fruits worth Tk 73.50 crore during the 2016-2017 fiscal. The total production of fruits might be around 3.50 lakh tonnes worth Tk 950 crore during the just ended 2017-2018 fiscal in the region as the field level statistics are being compiled now to get the final figure, Islam said. Deputy Director of the DAE Md Moniruzzaman said the farmers are expanding fruit farming on their orchards and homesteads in Rangpur, Kurigram, Lalmonirhat, Gaibandha and Nilphamari districts under the region.
The agriculture related departments and organisations are providing assistance to the farmers for expanding fruit cultivation to improve socio-economic and nutritional statuses of the rural people to build a healthier nation, he said. Farmers Babul Hossain, Babul Mian and Abdur Rahim of different villages here said they achieved self-reliance through producing both of the high- priced, quick-growing, hybrid and traditional fruits like many others during the past ten years.
President of Rangpur Chamber Mostafa Sohrab Chowdhury Titu stressed on setting up of fruits processing factories to ensure fair price of the produced fruits and inspire the farmers in further expanding fruit cultivation to boost rural economy in the region.
