Rajshahi grassroots farmers expand papaya cultivation

RAJSHAHI, Dec 08: Farmers in Paba, Durgapur, Puthia, Godagari and Bagha upazilas are expanding commercial farming of papaya as it is proved them more profitable.
Moreover, papaya cultivation production cost is less than farming other fruits and vegetables.
Newly-harvested green papayas have started appearing in the kitchen markets across the district and growers are also happy over the prices.
Sources said though the prices of other winter vegetables have come down, market rate and demand of green papaya have increased recently.
Moving around in different areas in the district this correspondent found grassroots farmers have brought a vast tract of land under papaya farming this season for more profit.
Besides, a plentiful production of the item has been achieved this season amid a good weather condition.
Officials at the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) office in Bagha upazila said papaya was cultivated in 1,000 bighas of land and the area 2,000 bighas of land this season.
DAE official Hasibul Islam Khan said papaya farming was not popular in the district earlier.
Now the cultivators in the region are growing it on commercial basis due to high market demand.
Sources said a huge number of locally-produced papayas are being transported to different areas across the country.
Ajer Ali of Amodpur village under Bagha upazila said papaya farming is a profitable venture. A good number of people in the upazila have attained financial solvency by growing the item.
Asad of Panikamra village said he cultivated papaya on two bighas of land. At the beginning of summer, he had sold the produce worth Tk 90,000 whereas total production cost was around Tk 46,000.
DAE office sources said papaya was cultivated on 9,500 bighas of land in different upazilas of district last year.
Durgapur, Bagha and Charghat upazilas are well-known for growing the item.
Mearly 15,000 bighas of land has been brought under papaya cultivation in Rajshahi this year.
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