Although flowers are cultivated in various districts including Savar, Jessore, Kushtia in the whole country, for the past 1 decade, the flowers produced in Chakaria in South Chittagong have become a partner in meeting the needs of the capital apart from Greater Chittagong.
It is known that this flower has been cultivated commercially on both sides of the Cox's Bazar-Chittagong highway passing through Chakaria Baritli Union of Cox's Bazar. Although roses are grown almost all year round on rural roads, the real season is mainly in winter. At this time, roses along with gadiolas attain full youth. Smiles on the faces of farmers in bikinis.
Due to artificial flowers made of cloth and plastic, the market demand of real flowers has decreased but the price has not decreased. This time it has become sky-kissed for two consecutive days. February 14 is World Love Day and February 21 is International Mother Language Day. The flower growers have been sweating for several days to get more profit by supplying flowers on these two days.
Especially without flowers one can't express your heart to his/her loved ones. Therefore, the demand for flowers increases several times on Valentine's Day. With that, the busyness of flower growers and flower girls also increased.
The flower growers of Chakaria are working hard with the target of selling flowers of at least half a crore rupees on two days in a week. Since February 11, the farmers here have increased the supply of flowers to different regions of the country including Chittagong.
It has been seen that green rice and vegetable fields on one side, forested hills full of trees on the other side. The gardens of roses and gladiolus have made this look of village Bengal even more fragrant.
There are flower gardens one after another on both sides of the Baraitli Union road near the highway. Tourist district Cox's Bazar also attracts the attention of tourists. Apart from Baraitli, Saharbil, the whole upazila including two have flower gardens of hundreds of people. This flower cultivation has been done commercially on at least 100 acres of land. From there, they were taken to the station by rickshaws and vans, loaded with pickups and taken to various places including Chittagong for sale.
According to the farmers, before the heat of the sun increases, the gladiolas are picked and sent to different areas including Chattogram. Rose flowers are picked all day from dawn.
Local flower grower Enamul Haque said that about two acres of land rose and one acre of gladiolus and farmer Azad Hossain cultivated roses on three acres of land and one acre of gladiolus. Both have 10-15 workers in their flower gardens. Majority of workers are women. The demand for women workers in flower garden work is high because they can work tirelessly for low wages.
However, the arrival of cloth and plastic china flowers in the market has hit their hard-earned flower market. They said, we first collected the seeds of gladiolas from Jashore. Later we collect seeds from our own cultivation for the next season. Similarly, I cultivate flowers by collecting seedlings from rose trees in my own garden.
Azad Hossain and Enamul Haque also said that one gladiolas cost 4-5 taka to produce and sell for 12-13 taka. Rose production costs forty to fifty paisa per flower. The sale is from 6 to 7 taka. However, if the market demand decreases, the cost of the flower is not even raised.
Moinul Islam, the former convenor of Baraitli Flower Garden Owners Association, said that hundreds of people have cultivated flowers in at least several hundred acres of land in Chakaria this time. Two years ago, three to three hundred and fifty acres of land were cultivated, but the amount of cultivation has decreased due to artificial flowers. Moreover, last year due to lack of rain, a lot of gardens were destroyed. Farmers are once again planting new seedlings. However, apart from the various days of the era, there is good flower sales throughout the year. Demand increases and more flowers are sold. I hope the farmers will get good profit this time.
He said that not only hundreds of farmers, but 3 to 4 thousand labor families earn their livelihood by working as laborers in Chakria's flower garden. Many laborers first worked on other people's land, but now they themselves have started commercial farming by taking land.
Chakaria Upazila Agriculture Extension Department Officer SM Nasir Hossain told this reporter that 120 acres of government land in Chakaria and 87 acres of rose and 87 acres of gladiolas have been cultivated. In one Kani field, roses are produced about 47 thousand and gladiolas are produced about 10 thousand.
There is no government support for flower growers.