Sale of palm shells is increasing in Nabinagar market of Brahmanbaria. At Nabinagar-Kompaniganj road, upazila gate, government college gate, government high school gate, traders are sitting with palm every day at different corners of Nabinagar city. Each piece of palm is being sold at Tk 40/50.
According to the information of the Upazila Agriculture Office, there are 7 thousand 500 palm trees in 21 unions and 1 municipality of the upazila. Among them, there are more palm trees in Shyamgram, Rachullabad, Ratanpur, Satmora, Laur-Fatehpur, Bitghar, Shibpur, Barikandi, Salimganj Union. Abdul Rahim, a resident of Nabi Nagar, said that now there is no rhythm like before. Earlier they used to sit on the side of the road with palm juice, it is no longer seen.
Now I am eating palm shells. I don't know if I can eat it after a few days. Because the way palm trees are being cut, they cannot be eaten for a long time. Earlier I could buy a Hali (4) for 50-80 taka, now it is not even 200 taka.Buyer Majedul Islam said, palm is a seasonal fruit, it is very tasty and beneficial. Due to the decrease of palm trees, the price is higher than before. Seasonal fruit trader Abul Mia, a resident of Majhikara village in Nabinagar municipality - now sells palms every day near the government high school gate. He said, I have been doing this business for five years. Last two years I could not do business well because of the coronavirus pandemic. I hope this year I will be self-sufficient. This year the price of palm is high.
For 12 years, Abdur Motalib traded palm at Nabinagar Government College Gate. After that, twenty pieces of palm are being sold for 400/500 taka. I bought each tree for 2500 Tk. I am selling the palm of that tree for 6500-7500 taka. 300-3500 Tk profit per tree can be achieved.
Nabinagar upazila agricultural worker Jahangir Alam Liton said that palm shells are tasty and nutritious, palm juice is also very beneficial. Jaggery, candy is made from palm juice. Palm trees are decreasing day by day due to global climate. But we have taken up a project to grow palm trees on behalf of the Agriculture Office.
Nabinagar Agriculture Office said the Ministry of “Disaster Management” has set a target to plant seeds and saplings of this lightning tolerant palm tree. As the reason for the decrease of palm trees day by day, he said that people in rural areas are cutting down palm trees without understanding their importance.
Since palm trees produce only once a year, the profit is less, due to which palm trees are being cut down and planted with fruit or timber trees, due to which palm trees are decreasing.
Although the yield of the palm tree is low, this tree protects people from lightning.