Betel leaf farming increasing in Barguna

BARGUNA, Jun 3 (BSS): Betel leaf cultivation in the district is increasing for its growing popularity and it has proved as profitable crop in the recent year.

Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) office sources said it might change the fate of the farmers because betel leaf has huge demand at home and abroad. About 5,000 farmers live on betel leaf cultivation in six upazilas of the district.

Parimal Shil, a betel leaf grower of Gourichonna village under Barguna Sadar upazila told that he has cultivated betel leaf on two acres of land and he is now unable to use fertilizer for shortage of fund.

Another grower Sharifuddin said that if betel leaf growers get easy loan from the banks they will able to cultivate more land and the country will earn more foreign exchange from this crop every year.

Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) sources said about 1,000 acres have brought under the cultivation here.

The cultivators are facing problems like financial constraint and absence of marketing facilities.

Farmers said if the government takes necessary measures for helping the growers they would able to cultivate more land.