UNB, Dhaka :
Farmers in the district see prospect of guava cultivation dreary for various reasons, including poor communication system and lack of governmental support.
Marketing of the popular fruit is also facing a setback for shortage of cold storages and manipulation by middlemen.
The growers have also been being deprived of fair price of the fruit for the last several years.
Succeeding generations of farmers have so far cultivated guava, locally called ‘Apple of poor’ for its unique taste, for their livelihood.
The growers of the area send their produce to various places across the country, including Dhaka, but for lack of a developed communication system, the item cannot be supplied to full extent.
August-September is the main season for guava production.
Despite good harvest of guava in the current season, farmers could not be happy, as apprehending heavy losses they were forced to sell the item at throughway prices in the local markets for lack of preservation facilities.
During off-peak season, guava is sold at Tk560-700 per maund at the local markets but in the peak season it is sold at only Tk30-40 per maund.
In the current season, the demand of guava is high across the country but due to poor management and lack of preservation facilities along with poor communication system supply and marketing of the fruit face a serious setback.
Besides, representatives of the food processing companies show lack of interest to come to buy the fruit using the undeveloped roads here; consequently the traders have to sell the item at throwaway prices.
Sources said guava is grown by 1,345 families in their orchards at 50 villages in the district.
At these villages, farmers grow guava as the cash crop of the area and second largest business after wood.
Farmers at Songgitkathi, Khairkathi, Vodrananda, Bastuvita, Adabari, Dholahar, Zindakathi, Aatghar, Kuriwana, Edolkathi, Mandra, Bengoli, Adamkathi, Andarkul villages in Swarupkati of the district produce more than 10-12 tonnes of guava each year from which they earn at least Tk 8-9 crore.
Swarupkathi upazila Agriculture Office sources said 26 villages in the upazila have retained their name for producing the fruit for over 100 years.
Around 645 acres of land were brought under guava cultivation at the villages this year.
Guava orchards at the villages have come under attack of virus diseases, for which young guavas wither away from the plants.
Eight-nine tonnes of guava are produced per hectare of land in the upazila every year but for lack of sufficient number of cold storages, preservation of the fruit is being seriously hampered.
As a result, the growers are bound to sell their produce at throughway prices, suffering heavy losses, much to their disappointment.
Mostafa Kamal, a guava grower of Vhimruli village, who owns some large guava orchards, said in August-September, season of guava production, he employs at least three labourers in his orchards, which costs Tk1500 but now he has to sell guava at Tk35-40 per maund to the middleman, which leads him to utter frustration.
Guava growers of the area now think it an urgent need to have some cold storages and agro-based industry in the area, which could boost guava cultivation, he said.
Shekhar Kumar Sikdar, chairman of Kuriwana Union Parishad, said lack of cold storages and market manipulation by the middlemen hinder preservation and sale of guava, which has created frustration among the cultivators at 50 villages.
Agriculturalist Jagotpriyo Das said production of guava has noticeably increased due to research in the last few years and some aid from the government could help the growers earn huge profit from guava cultivation.
Upazila Agricultural Officer of Swarupkathi Md Rifat Sikdar said the government has taken steps to build two guava purchasing centes in the area, construction work of which will start in 2016.
Farmers in the district see prospect of guava cultivation dreary for various reasons, including poor communication system and lack of governmental support.
Marketing of the popular fruit is also facing a setback for shortage of cold storages and manipulation by middlemen.
The growers have also been being deprived of fair price of the fruit for the last several years.
Succeeding generations of farmers have so far cultivated guava, locally called ‘Apple of poor’ for its unique taste, for their livelihood.
The growers of the area send their produce to various places across the country, including Dhaka, but for lack of a developed communication system, the item cannot be supplied to full extent.
August-September is the main season for guava production.
Despite good harvest of guava in the current season, farmers could not be happy, as apprehending heavy losses they were forced to sell the item at throughway prices in the local markets for lack of preservation facilities.
During off-peak season, guava is sold at Tk560-700 per maund at the local markets but in the peak season it is sold at only Tk30-40 per maund.
In the current season, the demand of guava is high across the country but due to poor management and lack of preservation facilities along with poor communication system supply and marketing of the fruit face a serious setback.
Besides, representatives of the food processing companies show lack of interest to come to buy the fruit using the undeveloped roads here; consequently the traders have to sell the item at throwaway prices.
Sources said guava is grown by 1,345 families in their orchards at 50 villages in the district.
At these villages, farmers grow guava as the cash crop of the area and second largest business after wood.
Farmers at Songgitkathi, Khairkathi, Vodrananda, Bastuvita, Adabari, Dholahar, Zindakathi, Aatghar, Kuriwana, Edolkathi, Mandra, Bengoli, Adamkathi, Andarkul villages in Swarupkati of the district produce more than 10-12 tonnes of guava each year from which they earn at least Tk 8-9 crore.
Swarupkathi upazila Agriculture Office sources said 26 villages in the upazila have retained their name for producing the fruit for over 100 years.
Around 645 acres of land were brought under guava cultivation at the villages this year.
Guava orchards at the villages have come under attack of virus diseases, for which young guavas wither away from the plants.
Eight-nine tonnes of guava are produced per hectare of land in the upazila every year but for lack of sufficient number of cold storages, preservation of the fruit is being seriously hampered.
As a result, the growers are bound to sell their produce at throughway prices, suffering heavy losses, much to their disappointment.
Mostafa Kamal, a guava grower of Vhimruli village, who owns some large guava orchards, said in August-September, season of guava production, he employs at least three labourers in his orchards, which costs Tk1500 but now he has to sell guava at Tk35-40 per maund to the middleman, which leads him to utter frustration.
Guava growers of the area now think it an urgent need to have some cold storages and agro-based industry in the area, which could boost guava cultivation, he said.
Shekhar Kumar Sikdar, chairman of Kuriwana Union Parishad, said lack of cold storages and market manipulation by the middlemen hinder preservation and sale of guava, which has created frustration among the cultivators at 50 villages.
Agriculturalist Jagotpriyo Das said production of guava has noticeably increased due to research in the last few years and some aid from the government could help the growers earn huge profit from guava cultivation.
Upazila Agricultural Officer of Swarupkathi Md Rifat Sikdar said the government has taken steps to build two guava purchasing centes in the area, construction work of which will start in 2016.
