Good yield, better prices delight Tangail banana growers
MIRZA SHAKIL, Tangail
Farmers in different upazilas of Tangail are delighted as the district sees bumper banana yield due to a favourable weather condition this season.
Local banana growers, however, said though prices different varieties of bananas are much better than the last year, they are unable to make much profit from selling their produces due to increasing production costs, especially high labour cost and increase in fertilizer prices.
The verities of banana, grown in different hilly areas the region, include BARI-1, BARI-2, Amritasagar, Mondira, Sagor, Sobri, Chompa, Chini Chompa, Kobri, Him Sagor and Mihir Sagor.
Though bananas produce in the region go to different districts across the country, including the capital, a major portion of the production goes to Chattogram, traders said.
According to Tangail Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), this year farmers cultivated different varieties of bananas on 4,677 hectares of land in the hilly areas of Madhupur, Ghatail, Sakhipur and Kalihati upazilas.
Of the land, about 2,355 hectares are in Madhupur and most of the banana orchards are located in Arankhola, Beribaid, Mohishmara, Sholakuri, Kakraid, Kuragachha, Bhabani Teki, Gorom Bazar and Kauchi Bazar areas in the upazila.
During a recent visit to different banana markets, including Jalchhatra Bazar in Madhupur, Garo Bazar in Ghatail and Kutubpur Bazar in Sakhipur upazilas, this correspondent saw huge quantities of bananas were brought to the markets for sale.
Wholesalers from different adjacent districts as well as other parts of the country come here to buy bananas, traders said.
They said more than 100 trucks of bananas are being sold to traders from different parts of the country during every haat, weekly market, days.
Chan Miah, a banana grower from Jalchhatra area in Madhupur, said he cultivates banana as it requires minimum production costs, but brings more profit than the other crops including paddy.
Chan said he is getting better prices of his bananas this year, compared to the previous years, but not making much profit due to increasing production costs and high wages of labourers.
At least 350 banana trees can be planted in one bigha land, while farmers can sale a cluster, around 100 bananas, at Tk 100 to Tk 400, depending on its size and quality, he added.
Several other banana growers in the area as well as a number of traders at Jalchhatra Bazar echoed the same.
While visiting the 50-year-old Kutubpur Banana Bazar in Sakhipur this correspondent saw the entire market area was buzzing with buyers and sellers.
As the year-old banana market is gradually gaining a good reputation among traders. wholesalers from different areas across the country come to the market to buy quality bananas.
While talking, several members of the market managing committee said currently Kutubpur Bazar is known as one of the largest banana markets in the northern region, where bananas worth about Tk 1 crore are sold every week.
Abdul Kader, joint secretary of Kutubpur Bazar Committee, said traders from different districts come to the market to buy bananas as it is becoming popular day by day due to better communication facilities with all the surrounding districts including Dhaka.
Tangail DAE Deputy Director Ahsanul Bashar said soils of different hilly areas of the district are favourable for banana cultivation.
Moreover, local agriculture department has provided necessary supports to the banana growers, he said.