Citrus farming project taken up in Sylhet

SYLHET, Oct 21: Although there is a huge potential of large scale farming of lemon, malta and orange, there is no special initiative in this regard in greater Sylhet region, having suitable lands for the popular items.
On the other hand, yield of these had been on decline for reasons while some individual initiatives are there in Moulvibazar and Sylhet districts. It maybe stated that there is a good demand of lemon of certain varieties abroad.
Meanwhile the DAE has taken up a programme recently for districts with a target to increasing citrus crops' yield. It would help raise croplands by 15 per cent to 20 per cent, the officials' target.
Nine upazilas of Sylhet region had been included in the four-year programme, to be implemented by the DAE till 2023.
An official informed 1139 hectares of land in Sylhet had been used for cultivating lemon, orange and pineapple. Of these, only lemon and pineapple had been cultivated on 434 houses while 212 hectares were under commercial ventures, which is too meager to meet the ever increasing demand.
Considering the hilly land in the region, suitable for the citrus crops, the programme has been taken up in selected upazilas. These are Gowainghat, Biswanath, Golapganj, Jaintapur and Beanibazar in Sylhet district while Juri, Barlekha, Srimangal, and Kulaura in Moulvibazar districts.
The prime objective is to raising the farmers' yield and benefit through the intensive cultivation and help reducing the dependence on import of such fruits from abroad while the demand is upward day by day. Raising the farmers' income by 10 per cent is also one of the objectives alongside reducing unemployment, the official added.
The project, extension of citrus crops' farming, management and production strategy has already been started, he added.
The DAE has taken up the rogramme to raise the farming area and total yield within the project period ending on December 31, 2023. The project cost would be around Tk 1.26 billion while 123 upazilas in 30 districts had been taken up under the initiative, the official informed further.
Contacted, deputy director of DAE's Sylhet divisional office Mazumder Mohammad Ilias said, among the initiatives which need to be taken for a success of the said project, we would have to ensure some special measures. These include setting demonstration plots, arranging sufficient irrigation facilities, applying lime at farmers' level as well as motivating them with mechanised farming etc, the official added.
On the other hand selecting high yielding and risk-free varieties would be another strategy.
Besides, some upazias like Bahubal and Chunarughat in Habiganj and Chhatak in Sunamganj should be included in the said project, the official noted as there is suitable lands in these areas.

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