UNB, Benapole :
Cultivation of ‘Kulboroi’ (a species of plum) brings bright prospect for the farmers of Sharsha upazila in Jessore due to the fruit’s good profitability compared to the inputs.
Several hundred farmers in the upazila have been able to make their fortune through farming the species of fruit, especially ‘Apple Kul’ and ‘BAU Kul’, evolved by the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI).
After seeing steady growth in its profit in the recent years, the farmers have started cultivating the fruit in extended areas in their orchards and homesteads.
The fruit, cropping of which takes only four months, has embedded the dream of achieving economic self-sufficiency within a short time among the youths.
Earning from the fruit has also helped change their socioeconomic status greatly.
According to the upazila agriculture office, some five hundred farmers are involved in farming of ‘Kulboroi’ in the upazila.
Many of them have been able to come out of economic hardship through earning from the fruit.
Hirok Kumar Sarkar, upazila agriculture officer, said farmers here are cultivating different varieties of ‘Kulboroi’, including ‘Bau Kul’ and ‘Apple Kul’, as their prices are high in the local markets.
Khurshed Alam, 45, hailing from Samta village of Sharsha upazila, has been involved in its cultivation for the last ten years.
He has raised an orchard near his house where he cultivates ‘Bau Kul’, ‘Apple Kul’ and ‘Narkel Kul’.
He has cultivated ‘Kul’ on about eight bighas on land in his three orchards.
He has to spend Tk30-32 thousand to produce the fruit on each bigha of land.
He expects that he would get profit of Tk3-4 lakh this year.
Inspired by success of Khurshed Alam, many of the villagers have ventured into farming of the plum species in their orchards and homesteads.
Following his path, Rexona Khatun of Kashiadanga village, Moni Begum of Shyamolgachhi village, Ahsan Habib of Gotipara village, Shahidul Islam of Gogha village, Shafiuddin of Gotipara village and many other villagers are producing the fruit commercially and getting benefited.
BARI has developed various species of ‘Kul’, like ‘Apple Kul’ and ‘BAU Kul’, which have created widespread interests among the local farmers.
Moni Begum, another female farmer, has achieved great success by cultivating ‘Kul’. She has cultivated the fruit on about one bigha of land.
She has so far sold ‘Kul’ worth over Tk35,ooo this year, production of which cost him total Tk15,ooo.
The Department of Agriculture Extension provides technical and other kinds of support for the farming, said Hirok Kumar Sarkar.
‘Kulboroi’ in large quantities is sent outside the district, including the capital Dhaka, after meeting the local demand.
From the beginning of the season, the fruit is sent to the wholesale markets of Dhaka, Barisal and Satkhira.
Cultivation of ‘Kulboroi’ (a species of plum) brings bright prospect for the farmers of Sharsha upazila in Jessore due to the fruit’s good profitability compared to the inputs.
Several hundred farmers in the upazila have been able to make their fortune through farming the species of fruit, especially ‘Apple Kul’ and ‘BAU Kul’, evolved by the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI).
After seeing steady growth in its profit in the recent years, the farmers have started cultivating the fruit in extended areas in their orchards and homesteads.
The fruit, cropping of which takes only four months, has embedded the dream of achieving economic self-sufficiency within a short time among the youths.
Earning from the fruit has also helped change their socioeconomic status greatly.
According to the upazila agriculture office, some five hundred farmers are involved in farming of ‘Kulboroi’ in the upazila.
Many of them have been able to come out of economic hardship through earning from the fruit.
Hirok Kumar Sarkar, upazila agriculture officer, said farmers here are cultivating different varieties of ‘Kulboroi’, including ‘Bau Kul’ and ‘Apple Kul’, as their prices are high in the local markets.
Khurshed Alam, 45, hailing from Samta village of Sharsha upazila, has been involved in its cultivation for the last ten years.
He has raised an orchard near his house where he cultivates ‘Bau Kul’, ‘Apple Kul’ and ‘Narkel Kul’.
He has cultivated ‘Kul’ on about eight bighas on land in his three orchards.
He has to spend Tk30-32 thousand to produce the fruit on each bigha of land.
He expects that he would get profit of Tk3-4 lakh this year.
Inspired by success of Khurshed Alam, many of the villagers have ventured into farming of the plum species in their orchards and homesteads.
Following his path, Rexona Khatun of Kashiadanga village, Moni Begum of Shyamolgachhi village, Ahsan Habib of Gotipara village, Shahidul Islam of Gogha village, Shafiuddin of Gotipara village and many other villagers are producing the fruit commercially and getting benefited.
BARI has developed various species of ‘Kul’, like ‘Apple Kul’ and ‘BAU Kul’, which have created widespread interests among the local farmers.
Moni Begum, another female farmer, has achieved great success by cultivating ‘Kul’. She has cultivated the fruit on about one bigha of land.
She has so far sold ‘Kul’ worth over Tk35,ooo this year, production of which cost him total Tk15,ooo.
The Department of Agriculture Extension provides technical and other kinds of support for the farming, said Hirok Kumar Sarkar.
‘Kulboroi’ in large quantities is sent outside the district, including the capital Dhaka, after meeting the local demand.
From the beginning of the season, the fruit is sent to the wholesale markets of Dhaka, Barisal and Satkhira.
