Fruit cultivation: A profitable venture for self-reliance

Fruit cultivation on commercial basis has become one of the most profitable ventures in the agriculture sector to bring self-reliance for thousands of farmers and common people in northern region, reports BSS.
After getting repeated bumper production with lucrative price in recent years, the farmers have been expanding cultivation of fruits, including high-priced and quick growing varieties, to change their fortune after meeting nutritional demands.
So far, more than 28,000 farmers and common people have achieved economic self-reliance through cultivation of different varieties of fruits to change their fortune in recent years in five districts under Rangpur Agriculture Region alone.
Sources in the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) said the government has been providing assistance for fruit cultivation to improve socioeconomic and nutritional statuses of the common people in rural areas.
According to official sources, farmers and common people have been producing 90,000 tonnes of various fruits worth Taka 640 crore annually on their orchards and homesteads on 10,500 hectares of land in five districts of Rangpur region.
Horticulture Specialist Khandker Md Mesbahul Islam of the DAE at its Rangpur regional office said fruit cultivation continues expanding mostly through private sector initiatives bringing a silent revolution in the rural economy.
The agriculture-related departments, institutes and research organisations have been providing supports and the initiatives taken so far have been proved to be effective in expanding cultivation of fruits in the orchards, homesteads and fallow lands.
“The farmers produced 77,000 tonnes of mango alone worth Taka 308 crore in their orchards and homesteads this year in Rangpur, Kurigram, Lalmonirhat, Gaibandha and Nilphamari districts under Rangpur region last year, he added.
Mesbahul said there are over 4.78 lakh fruit-giving mango trees in over 5,000 orchards and 12.55 lakh more fruit-giving mango trees in the homesteads situated on 7,100 hectares of land in Rangpur agriculture region. Besides, the farmers and common people produced 9,000 tonnes of litchi worth over Taka 180 crore in their orchards and homesteads during the last season in the region.
“Currently, there are over 2.55 lakh fruit-giving litchi trees in 3,500 orchards and one lakh more fruit-giving litchi trees in the homesteads situated on 1,600 hectares of land in these five districts under Rangpur region,” he added.
Besides, the farmers are also producing over 2,100 tonnes of banana, papaya, ‘lotkon’, jujube, jackfruit, black berry, strawberry, olive, wood apple, guava, ‘pnaifal’. ‘bangi’, ‘amloki’, grape and other fruits worth Taka 155 crore annually in the region.

 

Fruit cultivation: A profitable venture for self-reliance

Fruit cultivation on commercial basis has become one of the most profitable ventures in the agriculture sector to bring self-reliance for thousands of farmers and common people in northern region, reports BSS. After getting repeated bumper production with lucrative price in recent years, the farmers have been expanding cultivation of fruits, including high-priced and quick growing varieties, to change their fortune after meeting nutritional demands. So far, more than 28,000 farmers and common people have achieved economic self-reliance through cultivation of different varieties of fruits to change their fortune in recent years in five districts under Rangpur Agriculture Region alone. Sources in the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) said the government has been providing assistance for fruit cultivation to improve socioeconomic and nutritional statuses of the common people in rural areas. According to official sources, farmers and common people have been producing 90,000 tonnes of various fruits worth Taka 640 crore annually on their orchards and homesteads on 10,500 hectares of land in five districts of Rangpur region. Horticulture Specialist Khandker Md Mesbahul Islam of the DAE at its Rangpur regional office said fruit cultivation continues expanding mostly through private sector initiatives bringing a silent revolution in the rural economy. The agriculture-related departments, institutes and research organisations have been providing supports and the initiatives taken so far have been proved to be effective in expanding cultivation of fruits in the orchards, homesteads and fallow lands. The farmers produced 77,000 tonnes of mango alone worth Taka 308 crore in their orchards and homesteads this year in Rangpur, Kurigram, Lalmonirhat, Gaibandha and Nilphamari districts under Rangpur region last year, he added. Mesbahul said there are over 4.78 lakh fruit-giving mango trees in over 5,000 orchards and 12.55 lakh more fruit-giving mango trees in the homesteads situated on 7,100 hectares of land in Rangpur agriculture region. Besides, the farmers and common people produced 9,000 tonnes of litchi worth over Taka 180 crore in their orchards and homesteads during the last season in the region. Currently, there are over 2.55 lakh fruit-giving litchi trees in 3,500 orchards and one lakh more fruit-giving litchi trees in the homesteads situated on 1,600 hectares of land in these five districts under Rangpur region, he added. Besides, the farmers are also producing over 2,100 tonnes of banana, papaya, lotkon, jujube, jackfruit, black berry, strawberry, olive, wood apple, guava, pnaifal. bangi, amloki, grape and other fruits worth Taka 155 crore annually in the region.