Jackfruit growers expect good yield

RANGPUR, Apr 11: The jackfruit trees in the district have assumed an impressive eye catching look this season, making the cultivators jubilant.
Growers are expecting good yield of the delicious and juicy fruit this year owing to a congenial climatic condition.
This popular variety of fruit is being cultivated abundantly both in orchards and homesteads of the region, sources said.
DAE sources said its farming has become lucrative as the farmers are showing interest in cultivating the fruit commercially on a large scale with the hope to achieve more profit.
Presently the farmers have engaged their optimum efforts in taking care of the jackfruit trees in the orchards as well as homesteads and the harvest is expected to begin from next month.
Asadul, a jackfruit grower of Abirerpara village in Mithapukur upazila told The Financial Express that there are 150 jackfruit trees in his orchard. Each small tree can produce jackfruits worth Tk 1600 to Tk 2000. He also expressed the hope that the price of the fruit may rise this season than that of the previous years.
Sources informed that many jackfruit traders from different parts of the country are coming to the district and bargain with the orchard owners to purchase the fruits in advance as well.
A number of farmers told the FE that earlier they had to struggle a lot to maintain their family by cultivating paddy only. But cultivation of different varieties of fruits including jackfruit has brought revolutionary change in their life as its farming has proven more lucrative than paddy and some other crops, they added.
They also laid emphasis on better marketing facilities to ensure fair price of their produce.
DAE official sources said due to ample production with satisfactory market price, the framers have been expanding farming of different fruits including jackfruit every year in the region, sources added.

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