The farmers and the orchard owners of jackfruit in Jhenaidah were very happy when they have been receiving at least double price of their national fruit in the current season. Further, the area of jackfruit farming was expanded to 666 hectares as against 636 hectares in the last season.
They were very happy when the wholesale buyers from Barishal, Bhola, Pirojpur, Madaripur, Gopalganj, Faridpur and some other districts have been offering at least double price in advance to the farmers. Most of the fruits in the orchards and private initiative trees were sold in last three to four weeks, said some of the farmers.
Alfaz Sheikh, 62, of Maharajpur area in Jhenaidah Sadar when contacted said usually he had sold all the jackfruits of his three trees in advance to the wholesale buyers of Madaripur at a satisfactory rate that was almost double of the previous season’s rate. Farmers like him will be benefited from the price from now on, Alfaz Sheikh assumed.
Azim Uddin, 53, a wholesale buyer of jackfruit belongs to Madaripur and another Abdur Rahim of Gopalganj when contacted at Kahlishpur fruit market in Moheshpur when contacted said they have ben purchasing a piece of medium size jackfruit at Taka 120 to 150 which they had purchased at Taka 70 to 80.
As the demand was more in the season, they have been booking the same in advance so that the farmers could not sale the same in local market.
According to a source related to the office of the deputy director of the department of agriculture extension in Jhenaidah Khamarbari, they farmers had produced about 19 thousand tons of jackfruit on 636 hectares of land in the last season. Upazila wise breakup of the land was 141 hectares in Jhenaidah Sadar, 50 hectares in Kaliaganj, 60 hectares in Kotchandpur, 90 hectares in bordering Moheshpur, 290 hectares in Shailkupa and remaining five hectares in Harinakundu. Average yield was 29.69 tones on each hectare.
The farmers had, DAE sources said.
Asgar Ali, deputy director of the department of agriculture extension in Jhenaidah Khamarbari when contacted said, although the area of jackfruit farming was expanded to 30 additional 30 hectares of land in the season, the farmers were more caring about the tress as it is now potential to them due to its traditional timber.
Further, the better prices of the fruits had made them very happy as it might help them strengthen socio-economic state of the farmers.
If the initiatives of the government for exporting the bakery items like cake, bread, biscuits etcetera from the jack-seeds, it will ensure additional money for the national fruits in near future.
The farmers in Jhenaidah were aware and caring about their crops, DAE deputy director in Jhenaidah Khamarbari said.