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Growers get fair price of betel nut in Laxmipur

Published : Saturday, 19 December, 2020 at 12:00 AM  Count : 170

Growers get fair price of betel nut in Laxmipur

Growers get fair price of betel nut in Laxmipur

RAIPUR, LAXMIPUR, Dec 18: Growers of Raipur Upazila including other upazilas of the district are happy for fair price of betel nut despite low yield this year.
The purchase of betel nut has begun in October last, and it is still continuing. During this three months' time, traders stock green betel nuts and dry those for sale.
Traders are coming to local wholesale markets from different districts of the country to buy betel nuts. The betel nuts of this district are big and tasty.
Normally, about 5,000 people get employment in Laxmipur in this peak business time. The annual income is Tk 350 crore.
Farmers and agriculture officials said betel nuts have grown here in plenty this year due to favourable weather.
Trader Abu Sayeed Jotan of Raipur Upazila said, betel nut business worth about Tk 100 crore takes place in the upazila per year. Meanwhile, getting good prices, growers were happy, but they are facing transport problem.
In the last year, growers suffered losses due to curtailed sale of damp betel nuts. This year they were hoping to recover.
According to upazila agriculture office sources, this year, 14,268 metric tons (MT) of betel nuts have been produced in the upazila. At present, per MT dry betel nut is selling at over Tk 1 lakh in the market.
As per official estimate, betel nuts worth about Tk 42 crore were produced in the upazila this year, but unofficially it is worth about Tk 100 crore.
Traders buy betel nuts from Rakhalia, Haiderganj, Basabari, Boadar and Camperhat areas of the upazila. Per kahan (80 pieces) betel nuts is sold at Tk 300. These are kept in river, canal and pond. Half of the purchased betel nut is dried.
A recent visit found betel nut selling in different markets, including Mirganj Bazaar in Ramganj Upazila and Haiderganj Bazaar in Raipur Upazila.
According to the Department of Agricultural Extension sources, this year, profit worth Tk 3,422 crore is being expected from betel nut trading in the district.
Local farmers and traders said there are about 20 big betel nut markets in the
district.
A farmer Kamal Shikdar of Basabari area in Raipur Upazila said, he is selling per kg dry betel nut at Tk 200.
Betel nut trader Md Ruhul Amin of Ramganj said three types of betel nuts- green, damp and dry are produced in the district.
One Reazul Islam Zakir, coming from Laxmipur Bazaar, said there are 15 to 20 betel nut trees in every house of the district.
After meeting the local demand, betel nuts are sent to Dhaka, Chattogram, Khulna, Bagerhat, Mymensingh, and other districts. Besides, betel nuts are exported to different Middle East countries including United Arab Emirate and Oman.
District Agriculture Officer Md Abul Hossen said there are betel nut orchards covering 16,767 hectares of land in the district. The annual production of betel nut in these orchards is 13,000 MT. This year's estimated production is 13,670 MT.
The climate and soil of the district are suitable for betel nut farming, said Botany Preservation Officer of Laxmipur DAE Md Saleh Uddin Palash, adding that betel nuts worth several lakh taka are produced on homesteads.
On the other hand, different products are made from the khol of betel nut trees in a factory at Taltali along Mirganj Road of Raipur Upazila.
One entrepreneur of betel nut products Mamunur Rashid said, "I am not seeing these products from commercial angle only. I think preparing such products creates employments for needy women."
Mamun has already made different items such as shoe, money bag and vanity bag from betel nut.
Raipur Upazila Nirbahi Officer Sabrin Chowdhury assured of assisting the manufacture of such environment friendly products.










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