BSS, Rangpur :
Like in the previous years, hundreds of landless char people and farmers already started cultivation of various crops during this winter season on the dried-up riverbeds and char lands along the Brahmaputra basin.
According to the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) sources, the farmers are expected to bring over 55,000 hectares of char lands and dried-up beds of the Teesta, Brahmaputra, Dharla, Ghaghot, Kartoa, Jamuna and other rivers under crop cultivation in Rangpur agriculture region this season.
“Sowing of seed of most of the Rabi crops has been continuing in full swing now on the dried-up riverbeds and char lands in the region,” said Horticulture Specialist of the DAE Khondker Md Mesbahul Islam.
He said that the char people would begin harvest of mustard seed by middle of January next though harvest of the other crops on dried-up riverbeds and char lands would be completed before commencement of the next rainy season. “Crops like mustard, onion, garlic, maize, wheat, vegetables, groundnut, ‘china’, ‘kawn’, pulses, ‘gunji till’, tobacco, pumpkin, gourd, corn, pulses, other oil seeds, Boro rice and watermelon are mostly being cultivated on these lands every year,” Mesbahul added.
River-eroded people of village Paschim Mohipur under Gangachara upazila Mahbub Alam, Abdur Razzaque and Morsheda Begum said that they were expecting bumper production of crops cultivated on the Teesta riverbed this season.
Similarly, char dwellers Nurul Hossain of village Char Montola and Sonavan of Kheruar Char on the Brahmaputra bed in Chilmari upazila said that they completed sowing seed of various crops on the dried-up riverbeds and char lands last week.
Former Chief Scientific Officer of Bangladesh Rice Research Institute Dr MA Mazid said that cultivation of crops on the riverbeds became possible due to drying up of the rivers and rise of their beds as a result of massive deposition of alluvial soil and silts.
However, he suggested for taking comprehensive steps to revive water flows in the rivers round the year for improving environment, bio-diversity and ecology to ensure long- term betterment of the people and checking environmental imbalance.
Initiative to produce Haribhanga mango juice
A private sector local group of industries has been setting up a modern factory for commercial production of juice from the highly fleshy, fibreless and tasty local variety Haribhanga mango in Rangpur.
Prime Pusti Limited, a subsidiary wing of Rangpur-based Sonic Prime Group, has taken the initiative considering expanded cultivation and repeated bumper production of the popular Haribhanga mango having huge demand both in local markets and aboard.
Managing Director of Sonic Prime Group Professor Dr Akkas Ali Sarker said that the latest technologies, machineries and equipments were being importing from China to complete setting up of the factory at Mominpur area under Sadar upazila in the district. “We would mainly produce international standard nutritious juice from.” Haribhanga mango soon for marketing at home in the beginning and then, abroad in future, with a view to further increase production of the aristocrat mango,” he said.
Referring to huge popularity of Haribhanga mango because of its unique
taste and flavour, Professor Akkas expressed his confidence saying that the processed juice would also become popular within a shorter period.
“Beginning with Haribhanga mango juice, the factory will run round the
year to also produce juice and other food products using pine apple, litchi,banana, straw berry, ‘Lotkon’, guava, papaya and lemon being produced in plenty in Rangpur region,” he said.
President of Rangpur Chamber of Commerce and Industry Abul Kashem
appreciated the initiative of Sonic Prime Group to set up the first mango-based juice producing factory having facilities for producing many foods products using other fruits.
Like in the previous years, hundreds of landless char people and farmers already started cultivation of various crops during this winter season on the dried-up riverbeds and char lands along the Brahmaputra basin.
According to the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) sources, the farmers are expected to bring over 55,000 hectares of char lands and dried-up beds of the Teesta, Brahmaputra, Dharla, Ghaghot, Kartoa, Jamuna and other rivers under crop cultivation in Rangpur agriculture region this season.
“Sowing of seed of most of the Rabi crops has been continuing in full swing now on the dried-up riverbeds and char lands in the region,” said Horticulture Specialist of the DAE Khondker Md Mesbahul Islam.
He said that the char people would begin harvest of mustard seed by middle of January next though harvest of the other crops on dried-up riverbeds and char lands would be completed before commencement of the next rainy season. “Crops like mustard, onion, garlic, maize, wheat, vegetables, groundnut, ‘china’, ‘kawn’, pulses, ‘gunji till’, tobacco, pumpkin, gourd, corn, pulses, other oil seeds, Boro rice and watermelon are mostly being cultivated on these lands every year,” Mesbahul added.
River-eroded people of village Paschim Mohipur under Gangachara upazila Mahbub Alam, Abdur Razzaque and Morsheda Begum said that they were expecting bumper production of crops cultivated on the Teesta riverbed this season.
Similarly, char dwellers Nurul Hossain of village Char Montola and Sonavan of Kheruar Char on the Brahmaputra bed in Chilmari upazila said that they completed sowing seed of various crops on the dried-up riverbeds and char lands last week.
Former Chief Scientific Officer of Bangladesh Rice Research Institute Dr MA Mazid said that cultivation of crops on the riverbeds became possible due to drying up of the rivers and rise of their beds as a result of massive deposition of alluvial soil and silts.
However, he suggested for taking comprehensive steps to revive water flows in the rivers round the year for improving environment, bio-diversity and ecology to ensure long- term betterment of the people and checking environmental imbalance.
Initiative to produce Haribhanga mango juice
A private sector local group of industries has been setting up a modern factory for commercial production of juice from the highly fleshy, fibreless and tasty local variety Haribhanga mango in Rangpur.
Prime Pusti Limited, a subsidiary wing of Rangpur-based Sonic Prime Group, has taken the initiative considering expanded cultivation and repeated bumper production of the popular Haribhanga mango having huge demand both in local markets and aboard.
Managing Director of Sonic Prime Group Professor Dr Akkas Ali Sarker said that the latest technologies, machineries and equipments were being importing from China to complete setting up of the factory at Mominpur area under Sadar upazila in the district. “We would mainly produce international standard nutritious juice from.” Haribhanga mango soon for marketing at home in the beginning and then, abroad in future, with a view to further increase production of the aristocrat mango,” he said.
Referring to huge popularity of Haribhanga mango because of its unique
taste and flavour, Professor Akkas expressed his confidence saying that the processed juice would also become popular within a shorter period.
“Beginning with Haribhanga mango juice, the factory will run round the
year to also produce juice and other food products using pine apple, litchi,banana, straw berry, ‘Lotkon’, guava, papaya and lemon being produced in plenty in Rangpur region,” he said.
President of Rangpur Chamber of Commerce and Industry Abul Kashem
appreciated the initiative of Sonic Prime Group to set up the first mango-based juice producing factory having facilities for producing many foods products using other fruits.
