Banana cultivation expands fast in Nilphamari
Our Correspondent | Monday, 1 July 2019
NILPHAMARI, June 30: Commercial banana cultivation is expanding in the district.
DAE sources said there are around 1,000 banana orchards across six upazilas.
Each orchard comprises around one bigha to one acre of land. 
Sources said banana cultivation is also popular at the homesteads.
Sources said nearly 300 saplings can be planted on a bigha of land.
To produce the fruit on a bigha of land, farmers spend around Tk 15,000 to Tk 80,000.
A bunch of banana is sold around Tk 800 to Tk 1,000 in the local markets.
Atul Chandra, sub-assistant agriculture officer of DAE, said Anupoma, Champa, Mehar Sagar, Sobri, Malbhoge and Sagar are the most popular banana varieties among the cultivators in the district.
Abdur Rahman, a banana farmer of Itakhola union under Sadar upazila, said he is growing banana on one bigha. He has 300 plants at his orchard. His production cost was Tk 18,000.
The grower said he is expecting to make a profit of around Tk 0.1 million this season.