BOGURA, Feb 13: Fair market price of commercial baukul cultivation has brought smile to hundreds of poor and marginal farmers in Bogura district this season.
Peasants have seen the appearance of success cultivating the high quality plum variety. Its cultivation is proved to the farmers as more lucrative compared to other long term crops cultivation.
The farmers can begin harvesting the tasteful fruit after two years of its plantation. Its cultivation boosts to recover prior condition of the growers. Its cultivation is also changing the socio-economic condition of their family.
Getting repeated bumper production and fair selling price, the peasants' emphasis on baukul cultivation abundantly in all twelve upazilas of the district. Now, they have expanded the fruit cultivation across the district.
The farmers had planted the plum trees in a small scale on an experimental basis two year back with assistance of local agriculture offices, said sub-assistant agriculture officer Faridur Rahman.
With fair price and bumper output, the farmers are being financially self-sufficient in Sherpur, Sonatola, Sariakandi, Nandigram, Kahaloo, Adamdighi, Dupchanchia, Shibganj, Shajahanpur and sadar upazilas of the district.
Each maund of baukul is being sold at Tk 2,000 to 2,200 in the retail market while Tk 1,800 to 1,900 in the wholesale market across the district's kitchen markets. To produce a maund of fresh fruit they are to expand Tk 600 to 800 for paying labour, fertiliser and insecticide cost.
"I have cultivated some 300 sapling in my orchard last two year back inspired by the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) investing over Tk 30,000," said farmer Washim Alom under Shibganj upazila.
"I have already sold baukul for Tk 45,000 and expecting to make approximate Tk 20 thousand profit from the rest of crops." he added.
Farmers have bought each sapling with Tk 10 during the time of plantation from local nurtures. Tk 12 has been spent for planting the sapling as well as Tk 40 has been spent for providing fertiliser. Over all Tk 50 for the land rent.
To cultivate the fruit the farmers use both chemical and organic fertilisers simultaneously. Besides, they have to use insecticide to keep the fruit fresh from pest attack.
During a recent visit the correspondent found the farmers are passing busy time to rear the tress defying adverse weather condition from the very early to late at night.
DAE official said, we have provided all sort of necessary agro-inputs. The district posses a bright prospect for growing the fruit in a large scale, DAE added.
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