RAJSHAHI, Jan 16: The farmers of Bagha upazila have extensively cultivated kulboroi (a variety of plum) in different areas of the upazila for the last several years.
This year also like the previous years, the farmers have cultivated different species of kulboroi across the upazila.
Many of them have become self-reliant in this kind of cultivation as they have achieved good profit by selling the produce every year.
About 5,286 hectares of land on the banks of the Padma River at Chakra Bazaar union under Bagha upazila have been brought under kulboroi cultivation. As the land is sandy, other crops cannot be grown here.
Now the growers are cultivating onion, garlic, lentil, mustard, sugarcane and vegetables besides Kulboroi as its cultivation has brought a remarkable change to the farmers' life in the area.
Unemployed but educated youths are coming forward to kulboroi farming in the upazila. Thus they are playing an important role to the national development of the country.
Besides, its cultivation, kulboroi is filling the nutritional demand of the villagers, too. Its cultivation cost is less than other fruits. For this reason, many unemployed and educated youths of the upazila cultivated different varieties of kulboroi like Apple Kul, BAU Kul and Thai Kul in their fields.
Meanwhile, many farmers have changed their lot by cultivating kulboroi in their fields. Among them, former Municipal Chairman Abdur Rajjak, Yusuf Ali, Jamal Uddin and Sona Mia are remarkable.
Shafiqul Islam, a famer at Padma bank area, said he cultivated Kulboroi on 104 bighas of land spending about Tk 35,000 to Tk 40,000 per bigha and got yield of 130 maunds from per bigha. He expected that he would sell plum worth Tk one crore this season.
Mitun Ali, an unemployed youth and a farmer at Basau Sarkarpara area of the upazila, said following the suggestions by upazila agricultural officers, he cultivated kulboroi on 16 bighas of land and has already sold the produce worth Tk 50,000 from his orchard. He also expected that he would sell kulboroi of more Tk 12,000 to Tk 15,000 from his garden.
Former Municipal Chairman Abdur Rajjak said that the price of Apple Kul was first Tk 1,500 per maund, but now it is selling at Tk 1,200 per maund. The other varieties like Thai Kul and BAU Kul are also selling at a good rate in the markets.
Abdur Razzak cultivated kulboroi on about 30 bighas of leased land, spending Tk 35,000 per bigha.
Jamal Uddin, another farmer at Gorgori area of the upazila, said he cultivated kulboroi on 40 bighas of land.
Munju Sarkar, a farmer also said he cultivated kulboroi on about 20 bighas of land. Upazila Agriculture Officer Sabina Begum said, "Farmers cultivated kulboroi on about 150 hectares of land around the Padma River bank areas under Bagha upazila this year."
It might become another cash crop, she expected. If the government takes necessary measures to develop the varieties of kulboroi, it will bring good fortune to the country, the officer added.
