Commercial plum cultivation booms in Satkhira
The varieties that gained popularity are- ‘Bal Sundari’, ‘Bharat Sundari’, ‘Thai Apple’, ‘Baukul’, ‘Apple Kul’, ‘Taiwan Kul’, ‘Narikeli’ and ‘Ninety’
Commercial-scale plum cultivation is rising in Satkhira due to cost-effective farming, high demand and better profit margin.
Farmers, particularly youths, are becoming interested in plum cultivation as they find it more profitable compared to other crops.
The varieties that gained popularity are- 'Bal Sundari', 'Bharat Sundari', 'Thai Apple', 'Baukul', 'Apple Kul', 'Taiwan Kul', 'Narikeli' and 'Ninety'.
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Huge acres of barren lands have come under plum cultivation in the district creating employment for jobless people.
The sandy soil with moderate climatic conditions of the southwestern district has proved very suitable for plum farming.
According to the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), about 841 hectares of land were brought under plum cultivation this year and farming is rising every year. Last year plum was cultivated on 830 hectares of land.
The fallow land and embankments of the fisheries enclosures are being brought under plum farming, said the DAE.
The monsoon fruit was cultivated on 112 hectares of land in the Sadar upazila, 165 hectares in the Tala upazila, 4 hectares in the Debhata upazila, 470 hectares in Kolaroa, 45 hectares in the Kaliganj upazila, 20 hectares in the Ashasuni and on 25 hectares of land in Shyamnagar.
"I have planted plum saplings on the embankment of the fisheries enclosure. Now I'm selling plum at Tk80-120 per kg, said a plum farmer Debashish of Nagarghata area adding he expected over Taka one lakh profit from plum cultivation.
Another farmer Yarab Hossen of Tujulpur village said he cultivated different types of plums on 31 bighas of land at a cost of Tk30-35 lakh.
"I hope around 50-55 quintal plum likely to be harvested from each bigha of land", he said adding that the plum is usually supplied to various districts including Dhaka and Chattogram.
"Farmers are spending Tk20,000-25,000 for producing plum on one bigha land and earning Tk60,000-70,000", said Deputy Director of the DAE Saiful Islam.
The plum is being cultivated on fallow land and embankments of the fishery enclosures in the district, he said, adding that the plum growers are expecting to fetch a business of over Tk150 crore this year.
