Gachhis become self-reliant preparing date molasses

JOYPURHAT, Jan 10: From the very start of the winter season, a good number of gachhis - men who extract juice from date trees - have started extracting date juice in Joypurhat district.

Now, around 500 marginal gachhies have attained financial solvency through the seasonal business in Akkelpur, Kalai, Khetlal, Pachbibi and Sadar upazilas of the district.

In a recent visit the correspondent found both the male and female workers were passing busy time to extract juice and making molasses to make the money to manage the family expenditure. They are also seen in agreeable mood as they are getting good market price selling the molasses in the wholesale market.

Each kg of quality molasses is being sold from Tk 80 Tk 90 in the retail market while Tk 75 to Tk 85 in the wholesale market. To prepare one kilogramme of molasses, the gachhis are to spend Tk 20 to Tk 25 for paying carrying as well as boiling cost. A gachhi can extract juice from minimum 200 to 300 trees, three times in a week.

The farmers are preparing molasses commercially in a view to provide them to the customer burning straw and wood in their hearth. Every day the wholesalers visit the locality to purchase the tasteful molasses from the producer directly.

"I hope to extract juice from 200 date trees in this season and make over five maunds of molasses every week," said gachhi Anowar Hossain, 56, at Gunaher village under Kalai upazila of the district. He again said, "I can make over Tk 11,000 every week after paying production cost."

Wholesaler Anarul Islam, 34, under Kahaloo upazila said he purchases average 20 maunds of molasses every week and sell those in different districts, meeting local demand. Molasses is being used to prepare different kinds of tasteful winter cakes.

To expand the business the authority concerned should extend their helping hands to the cottage industry immediately, said president of cottage industry Abdul Mannan. He also said, we need to better processing methods for the flourishing of the business.

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