Eating betel leaf is common in almost every house in Bangladesh. Some people eat betel leaves as a habit, or as a hobby. Betel leaf was once considered an integral part of life in this country. Especially when guests or relatives came to the house, they were first entertained with betel leaves. There would be no marriage or worship without betel leaves.
People in the past also believed that if a guest leaves the house empty-handed, it is bad luck for the householder. So, if nothing else, they treated guest with a betel leaf. Chuadanga is famous for its sweet betel leaves. Once upon a time, Chuadanga's betel leaves used to go to Dhaka and other parts of the country. However, with the evolution of time there has been a great change in betel leaf cultivation in Chuadanga.
Talking to betel leaf farmers in Chuadanga district, it is known that their plight is going on. Due to increase in cost of necessary materials for betel nut, non-availability of funds on time, lack of patronage, not getting proper price of produce, new betel leaf is not being cultivated in the district. Due to this, the traditional sweet betel leaf of Chuadanga has lost its heritage. Many have left betel leaf farming and gone to other professions and businesses.
The betel growers said that skilled workers are not easily available in complex and difficult fields like betel leaf cultivation. One hectare of land requires at least 10 skilled workers daily. In addition, the daily attendance of a skilled worker has to be paid at the rate of at least 500 Tk. It costs five thousand Tk per hectare of land per day. Currently, they are not able to make a profit as the price of betel leaves is low compared to the cost of cultivating betel leaves on one bigha of land.
They said that the price of necessary materials such as bamboo, jute, wire, iron, bolts, pilers etc. has increased 200 times in the last 10 years. However, the price of betel leaves has not increased accordingly. One hectare of land requires huge amount of bamboo per year. Increase in the price of bamboo, increase in the price of fertilizers and pesticides and increase in the transportation costs have affected betel leaves farming in the area. All betel leaf growers are forced to abandon the tradition of betel leaf cultivation.
Talking to several betel leaf farmers of Alamdanga Upazila of the district, it was learned that betel leaf cultivation started in the district in the 70s. Till 90s, the production of betel leaf in the district was as expected. From 1991 to 2000 there was a slight decline in betel leaf cultivation, but from 2001 betel leaf farmers saw a glimmer of hope in production again. However, since 2015, due to the increase in the price of various materials, there has been a slowdown in betel leaf cultivation. As a result, betel leaf cultivation has not increased in the district since then. According to the Chuadanga District Agricultural Extension Department, the district currently has 1607 hectares of palm plantations. Among them, 750 hectares in Alamdanga Upazila, 510 hectares in Chuadanga Sadar Upazila, 287 hectares in Damurhuda Upazila and 60 hectares in Jibannagar Upazila. There are 4,000 small barges in these lands. 13 thousand 400 farmers are involved in betel leaf cultivation. The livelihood of about 35 thousand people is related to this crop.
Liakat Ali, a betel nut farmer of Hazrahati village of Sadar Upazila, said that to cultivate betel leaves in one bigha of 33rd century land, the land has to be prepared first. Then the betel leaf field should be fenced around and covered with paddy straw to protect the betel leaf from sun, rain, fog and birds.
Then the branches of the tree have to be given. Then the betel vine should be planted. Production, maintenance and labor cost of betel leaves in one bigha of land is about one lakh Tk per year. In addition, the produced betel leaves are sold for one and a half to two lakh taka. Salim Hasen of Ektarpur village of Jibannagar upazila said that due to various natural disasters and increase in production cost, farmers are losing interest in betel leaf cultivation. Many are leaving the family tradition and joining other professions in the pursuit of livelihood.
He said that no government or private institution has come forward regarding their training. All the success that has been achieved in betel cultivation since ancient times has been possible due to the individual talent of the farmers and their own planning. Due to lack of government support and loan facilities for betel leaf cultivation, cash crop betel nut cultivation is gradually disappearing in Chuadanga.
Javed Hossain, a betel leaf grower of Utholi village said, "Our ancestors used to cultivate betel leaves." I am still cultivating betel leaves to maintain it. A laborer is not available below five hundred Tk. The cost of the materials needed to grow betel leaves is very high. Most of what we spend in the betel fields is not earned by selling the betel leaves. I am thinking of giving up betel leaf cultivation. Majedur Rahman, a farmer of Anantapur village, said that 80 large betel leaves are currently being sold at Tk 140 to Tk 150. And small betel leaves are being sold at 70 taka. He said, counting the loss several times, the betel leaf has to be sold. We are struggling to raise capital. If the government arranges long-term loans at low interest through banks, the farmers can become interested in betel leaf cultivation again. Because betel leaf cultivation is profitable, the farmers have returned to betel leaf cultivation again despite enduring setbacks and ignoring various adversities in the past.
Aminul Islam of Ektarpur village said that one has to be careful about three main diseases of palm leaves. These are Charma, Kaliana and Omodia. Treatment of these diseases is very expensive and difficult. He expressed his disappointment and said, "The present government has taken various steps for the development of agriculture and farmers in various sectors. Loans have also been arranged for farmers on easy terms. Various modern agricultural implements have been arranged to be supplied at affordable prices. Nevertheless, unfortunately the government is very indifferent in the field of betel leaf cultivation.
The betel leaf growers of the district say that it has become difficult to retain the betel leaf tradition of Chuadanga. Due to diseases like pest, adverse weather, leaf blight, leaf lesions, leaf blight etc.
On the other hand, the cost of betel leaf plantation has also increased. No fertilizer, pesticide facility is provided by agriculture department for betel leaf. The only demand of betel leaf farmers is that government or non-governmental organizations should come forward to improve their fortunes through small loans. Also motivates them more with modern agricultural information. Only then can the economy be enriched through betel leaf production. Jibannagar Upazila Agriculture Officer Sharmin Akhter said that if anyone asks them for pest control or any other assistance, they will provide all kinds of assistance.
Bivas Chandra Saha, Deputy Director of Chuadanga District Agriculture Extension Department said that there are 1607 hectares of palm plantations in Chuadanga this year. About 30 thousand people are involved in this plantation. He said, due to natural calamities and lack of skilled workers, and because of the high profit in other plantations, the cultivation of palm leaves has not increased in Chuadanga for the past five years.