As the red soil of the hilly areas of Tangail is fertile for banana cultivation, farmers are turning to banana farming as it is a one-time crop but having lower cost and higher profit margin compared to other crops.
The upazilas including Madhupar, Ghatail and Sakhipur dominated by red soil are suitable for banana cultivation, is increasing interest among the local farmers to banana cultivation. Many farmers have already become economically successful by this cultivation. Banana farmers have been affected by the attack of the panama beetle for quite some time, but now the effect of the insect has reduced to a large extent.
The cultivation requires very little labor relatively to other conventional crops like paddy and jute. The best outcome is that the farmers find no problem in selling this agricultural product. The market price of bananas does not collapse easily. Moreover, the hilly area is relatively high, bananas can be cultivated throughout the year.
A large portion (70%-805) bananas produced at Madhupur, Ghatail and Sakhipur of the district are exported to other districts of the country including Dhaka, Mymensingh, Jamalpur, Fulbaria, Sylhet, Bhairab and different districts of Chittagong Division meeting the local demand. The markets including Jalchatra of Madhupur, Garobazar and Kutubpur market of Sakhipur upazila are famous for wholesale of local bananas. Apart from this, bananas are limitedly sold in several other places.
From these three markets, 20-30 trucks of bananas are exported to different parts of the country every day. Jalchhatra of Madhupur has a two-day banana haat during the week. In both these markets, bananas are sold above crores of takas. The same situations are at Kutubpur ofSakhipur and Garobazar in Madhupur. Wholesalers from different parts of the country visit the markets.
ByTangail Agricultural Extension Directorate, varieties of bananas are cultivated in this region including Barikala-1 and Barikala-2 (Anajikala), Amritsagar, Mandira, Mandira Sagar, Sabri, Champa, Chini champa, Kabori, Mehersagar and Bichikala etc. As method of cultivation, 350 to 380 banana trees are planted per bigha of land. A banana plant costs tk.150 to tk.200 from planting to market by variation. Each banana stick can be sold for tk. 350 to tk. 450. As a result, farmers can count a profit of about tk. 60,000 per bigha.
By sources, bananas contain a lot of calcium, iron and vitamin C. Ripe banana relieves constipation in human body and banana pulp or mocha is used to cure diabetes, dysentery, ulcers. In the current season, different varieties of bananas have been planted on 4,667 hectares of land in the district. Among these, the most banana cultivation held at Madhupur. Banana is being cultivated in different villages of Madhupur including Mahishmara, Sholakuri, Beribaid, Arankhola, Kuragacha, Kakraid, Bhavaniteki, Garambazar, Cauchi Bazar on 2,355 hectares of land. This year, 950 hectares of banana has been cultivated at Ghatail upazila. Most bananas have been cultivated at Thanapur, Sangrampur, Rasulpur, Laxinder, Dhalapara and Sagardighi unions. The demand for bananas in these areas is increasing day by day that affects the banana farmers to grow more production. Farmers are able to sell bananas this year at a higher price than previous years. Though, outbreak of Panama disease has been observed in some areas.
Chanwar Hossain, a farmer at Mahishmara village of Madhupur, said that he is cultivating various fruits by renting his ancestral land and others' land.
This time 1700 banana seedlings have been planted in five bighas of land. If the weather is favourable, both yield and profit will be good. Being winter, the price of bananas is going down but the market will increase high when it gets hot.
He said that a large amount of banana is cultivated as a companion crop of pineapple in the Madhupur area. Kale, ginger, turmeric and pineapple can be cultivated easily along with banana cultivation. Most of the farmers in this region cultivate ginger along with banana. It is better that two-three crops can be cultivated in one land.
Abdus Sattar, a young banana farmer, said that since the hilly area is very suitable for banana cultivation, banana cultivation can be more profitable than other crops. So he advised the unemployed youths to concentrate on banana cultivation instead of chasing jobs.
Farmer Sirajul Islam said that he has cultivated sabri banana for the first time. So far the banana plants are healthy and he is hoping for a good yield. He hopes to cultivate more bananas in the future if he gets the technical cooperation of the agriculture officials.
Masud Rana, a banana farmer of Kakraid village in Madhupur, said that he cultivates banana and papaya along with pineapple. During the corona epidemic, there was a huge loss in various crops including banana but expects bumper crop of bananas this year.
Al Mamun Rasel, an agricultur is and officer from Agricultural Office of Madhupur Upazila t said that banana cultivation at Madhupur upazila has decreased a little this year. Because banana cultivation on the same land reduces soil fertility while banana farmers are affected by the attack of panama beetle. Still, banana cultivation has been done inMadhupurupazila on 2,355 hectares of land expecting good yield this year as per the target.
Ahsanul Basar, Deputy Director of Tangail Agricultural Extension Department, said that different varieties of bananas have been planted on 4,667 hectares of land in Tangail district this agricultural season. Among them, the most banana cultivation will be at Madhupur upazila. Besides, banana has been cultivated in both Ghatail and Sakhipur upazila's too.
He said that even if it is a single crop, it is relatively more profitable than other crops, so the farmers of this region, especially the hilly regions, are leaning towards banana cultivation.