Plum farming turns boon to Puthia farmers

RAJSHAHI, Feb 25:  Plum cultivation has been another potential of the agricultural sector in Puthia Upazila of the     district.
Plum lifting and marketing have already begun in this upazila of Rajshahi District.
 A local educated youth Babul Islam has cultivated plum on four bighas of land in the upazila in a hope of making much profit.
He and other growers are delighted to get good market prices. Babul said, for the higher yield and profit in a short time, farmers choose plum cultivation.  
Babul has been cultivating Balsundari and Kashmiri varieties of plum for the last three years.According to the Upazila Agriculture Office sources, this year different varieties of plum have been cultivated on 75 hectares (ha) of land in the upazila; some 565 metric tons (MT) of plum are expected to be produced at the yielding rate of nine MT per ha.
Baukul and Apple Kul varieties have also been cultivated in Rajshahi region. These plums are most delicious; the demand is high too.
 Balsundari and Kashmiri varieties of plum have been cultivated in a large scale in Puthia.
Babul said, favoured by good weather, the yielding of plum has been much better this year.
At present, Balsundari is selling at Tk 2,800 to Tk 3,000 per mound in local markets. "If the present market price maintains stable, I will benefit a lot" he added.
Puthia Upazila Agriculture Officer Shamsun Nahar Bhuiyan said, this year a total of  65 ha of land have been brought under the plum cultivation in the upazila against last year's  23 ha.
She added, it is expected there will be an excess production of plums.