Thousands of farmers of three upazilas of the district have gained solvency cultivating banana in their sandy land which was remaining uncultivated for long time, reports BSS.
Most of those lands are situated in the remote char areas of the Padma and the Jamuna rivers of the district.
The river eroded people of that areas could not product jute and rice in their barren sandy lands and they had to lead a measurable life. They were also disconnected from the main lands of upazila headquarters due to bad communication.
Once they had to suffer from ultra-poverty. But now about five thousand farmers are earning unexpected profit from banana farming.
Sayeed Miah, 55, one of the banana cultivators of village Ramchandrapur under Sutalori union of Harirampur upazila, said he started banana cultivation on 50 decimal of land planting one hundred local variety banana saplings before three years.
Getting good return, in 2015 he plated 500 saplings of different kinds of banana including sabri and kobri. In 2016, he cultivated about 1000 saplings of banana and in the current year Sayeed planted two thousand banana saplings in five bighas of land. He expected that he would earn at least Taka one lakh except production cost.
Followed Sayeed, hundreds of poor cultivators of Haluaghat, Mehendipur, Notakhola, Harihordia and adjacent areas of Harirampur char areas started banana cultivation and they are happy to get good production and reasonable price.
Student Bellal Hossain of Basantapur, Shahidul of Patgram, Rusel of Harihardia and Faysal, Liton and Rabiul of Notakhola village also started to cultivate banana to eliminate their poverty. The farmers of the char areas have to collect banan saplings from Jhitka, Faridpur and Manikganj.
Intaj Uddin, 50, one of the marginal farmers of Jamuna char area of Daulatpur upazila cultivated banana in 90 decimal of land last year and earned Taka 70 thousand. During the current year he added 50 decimal more land under banana cultivation. Habibur Rahman, Faizuddin, Rashed Ali of same area said they are being benefited cultivating banana in their sandy lands which was remaining barren for long time.
Jamsher Ali, a middle aged farmer of Bhatarakandi village under Ghior upazila, cultivated 100 saplings of banana last year and earned Taka 40 thousand and this year he cultivated banana on two bighas of land and expecting a good production.
Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) and some NGOs are providing technical support holding discussion and exchanging views with the farmers and giving training on cultivation of other crops like bitter gourd, sweet pumpkin and cucumber in the same land at the same time.
