Cultivation of grapes in Rangpur division needs govt patronisation

RANGPUR, Mar 31: A good number of people at different districts under Rangpur division are getting financially benefited through cultivation of grape.
According to the agriculturists, the soil and climate of Dinajpur, Rangpur, Thakurgaon and Panchagarh are suitable for grape cultivation. Presently, grapes are being cultivated only in a limited extent due to lack of required seeds and other facilities.
Local growers say that proper training and financial and technical assistances can pave way for large-scale commercial production of grapes across the region.
Batu Sarker, a grape grower at WAPDA area at Saidpur Upazila in Nilphamari district told FE he has been cultivating grape in his homestead for several years and selling those at a fairly good price.
Shafiqul Islam another grape cultivator of Mithapukur Upazila told FE if growers get necessary assistance and advice from DAE including how to combat pest attack and diseases its production can certainly be enhanced, he added. Growers say much of the grapes produced in the areas belong to the average grade variety called 'Jatka'.
They also cultivate a number of high-grade varieties like Black Ruby, Cardinal, Pearl, Blue etc. These local grapes are comparatively sweeter in taste than the imported ones, they claimed.
The country is spending huge foreign exchange every year for importing grape from India and some other countries. But a large quantity of it can easily be grown in the region if government patronisation is available. This would also help improve the economic condition of the poverty-stricken people of the northern region, experts say.
 

ICT-based education stressed
A BSS report says:: Speakers at a ceremony here have stressed for popularising and spreading science-and information and communication technology (ICT)-based education to further accelerate the pace of national uplift.
They said the advanced nations have achieved faster developments in all sectors through adopting science and ICT-based education at all levels bringing revolutionary change in their economies.