Sitakunda's date palm juice business booms, generating Tk3.5cr in two months

Winter brings a unique harvest to the coastal upazila of Sitakunda - the sweet juice of date palm trees. This picturesque region, adorned with countless date palm trees, is then transformed into a bustling hub of juice collection, generating Tk3.5 crore in just two months.

According to the Sitakunda Upazila Agriculture Extension Office, over 10,000 fruit-bearing trees are the source of this prosperity. Around 1,000 villagers, including dedicated collectors and seasonal participants, tap into this resource, collecting 10-15 thousand litres of juice daily. 

Each tree offers a sweet bounty 30-40 times per season. In two months, Sitakunda collects around Tk3.5 crore worth of juice, primarily destined for Chattogram city.

The Sitakunda Range of the Chattogram Coastal Afforestation Division also reaps benefits. Over 2,000 trees along the embankment, leased through open tender, contributed Tk5.8 lakh to the government's revenue this season.

A recent visit to the Guliakhali area revealed the hustle and bustle of juice collectors in action. Armed with sharp machetes, they skillfully cut the tops of the trees, tying thick ropes and hanging juice pots in a unique way to collect the sweet elixir. The air is filled with the sweet aroma of juice, and the sight of birds perched on the juice pipes adds to the picturesque scene.

As winter arrives, the agriculture workers of the village transition into commercial juice collectors, leasing date palm trees on both sides of the embankment. 

Alamgir Hossain, a seasoned juice collector in Guliakhali, leased 200 trees in a one-kilometre embankment area for two months at Tk95,000 through an open tender from the Coastal Afforestation Division.

An additional Tk30,000 was spent on cutting and preparing the trees and containers. Collecting 200-250 litres of juice daily, Alamgir sends it to Chattogram city, 30km away, by CNG autorickshaw and bus through a friend, selling each litre for Tk70-100.

He told The Business Standard, "For 22 years, I've been in the juice business, meeting the high demand for fresh juice in Chattogram. Despite the year-round work in agriculture, I earn Tk2-3 lakh during the winter season, but it comes with sleepless nights."

Another juice collector, Mohammad Farooq, unable to secure the lease of date palm trees on the embankment, collects juice by leasing 50 trees from different households in the village. 

Farooq told TBS that he extracts an average of 60-70 litres of juice from 50 trees daily, selling it at Tk60 per litre in the village and potentially Tk80-100 in Chattogram city.

Sitakunda boasts not only Guliakhali but also two other juice villages named Basharatnagar and Bhaterkhil. These three villages, known as date palm juice villages, witness residents of all ages spending sleepless nights over juice. 

A juice festival occurs from midnight to evening, accompanied by the production of jaggery and various dessert items, creating a lively winter atmosphere.

In addition to local enthusiasts, online entrepreneurs also play a role, buying juice from collectors and reselling it at higher prices in the city. 

Nur Uddin, an online entrepreneur from the Teriyel area of the upazila, told TBS about his Facebook-based business model, supplying juice to well-wishers and earning Tk1,000-2,000 daily and Tk1-1.5 lakh in the entire season.

In almost every village of Sitakunda, juice collection begins at 3am daily. After selling the juice in the city, collectors must cut the trees again. As evening falls, the work of guarding the juice begins, necessitating sleepless days and nights due to the active presence of thieves.

Though earthen pots were once utilised, plastic pots have replaced them over time. Some trees have nylon threads tied to their pipes, guiding the juice into pots below. This method helps protect the juice from birds and monkeys.

Sitakunda Upazila Agriculture Extension Officer Mohammad Habibullah told TBS about the significant demand for Sitakunda date palm juice throughout Chattogram. 

The sweet and delicious juice from date palm trees grown in the salty soil of the sea coast easily reaches customers due to its proximity to the city, he added.