Orange cultivation gains popularity in Panchagarh

PANCHAGARH, Dec 19 (BSS): Cultivation of orange on commercial basis has gained popularity among the farmers in the district as they are getting excellent production in recent years.

The cultivation of the juicy fruit is gaining popularity among the farmers after cultivation tea in the district and now they are happy to see hopeful orange production in their orchards.

Cultivation of the nutrition fruit has started here with the assistant of the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE).

The farmers have cultivated the high-priced aristocrat fruit in their orchards and homesteads and they expect its bumper yield this season, said an official of DAE.

Sefali Begum, a cultivator of Bamonpara village under Sadar upazila, said "I cultivated orange on six bighas of land. Last year I sold orange about Tk 0.1 million and this year I am expecting to sell orange of over Tk 0.2 million ".

Habibul Nabi, resident of the same area, said I taken orange sapling from agriculture department in 2009. I have been selling orange for three years and earn a good profit.

Deputy Director of DAE M Shamsul Haque said land of the district is suitable for orange cultivation and the farming has become popular in the district since its commercial cultivation began under the five-year term (2006-2011) of Orange Development Project (ODP) of the DAE.

The DAE is giving all kinds of modern technology support to the farmers for boosting orange production in the district, the DD added.

The country every year imports oranges from India and some other countries. But a large quantity of orange can easily be grown in Panchagarh and its adjacent districts if the government provides assistance.

This would also help to improve the economic condition of the poverty stricken people of the northern region, the officer said.