BSS, Manikganj :
The harvesting of Green Pepper is going on in full swing and appearing at the local markets to great extent and the cultivators are happy for achieving expected production and reasonable price of their products.
Now per kilogram green pepper is being sold at Tk 50- 60 at the local markets and the whole sale rate is Tk 40 per KG.
The cultivators of Ghior and Shibalaya Upazilas of the district have been selling their green pepper at the Barangail and Uthuli Bazar and the cultivators of Harirampur Upazila are selling their products at Jhitka, Bathoimuri, Balla and Sarupai bazars to the retailers.
The sources said, the green pepper cultivators did not get harvest in due time of the year as the drought hampered the green pepper cultivation, but now the green peppers are abundant in the markets.
The Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) sources said after onion, green pepper is the most important cash crop for the cultivators of Harirampur, Shibalaya and Ghior upazila of the district.
During the harvesting season of green pepper, a large number of people are engaged in the seasonal trading and earning a good amount of money.
Large number of wholesalers and retailers come to the areas to collect the green pepper from the cultivators regularly.
of trucks run in the areas to collect the green peppers and go to the different places in the country to supply it. Hundreds of labourers, mainly women, are engaged in harvesting the green pepper from the field.
Abdur Rahman, one of the green pepper traders said everyday a group of traders visit the local markets and buy green peppers from their godown for supplying it to different parts of the country. He said five to six people work every day in his shop.
Ahmad Ali, one of the cultivators said they have been cultivating green peppers in their lands from generation to generation. Akkas Ali, one of the green pepper traders, said the green pepper of Manikganj has been exported to some countries in European and Middle East and its markets are being widened day by day.
The DAE sources said they set a target of green pepper cultivation on 4000 hectares of land in the district with a production target of 6600 metric tons during the current season.
Deputy Director (DD) of the DAE Abu Mohammad Enayet Ullah said the soil of Manikganj district especially Harirampur, Shibalaya and Ghior are suitable for green pepper cultivation adding that the quality of the green pepper of Manikganj is better than other districts of the country and it has a great demand in the markets.
