Farmers in Jhalakahiti are managing to turn Sidr-battered banana cultivation of the district into a profitable one anew.
After recovering from losses caused by the cyclonic storm, the farmers are now opting to cultivate the cost-effective fruit.
The farmers are making profit by cultivating different varieties of banana like Sobri, Sagar and Kabli since their price is high in the markets.
But the great risks its farming is to face are rain and storm.
In Jhalakathi, banana is being cultivated on about 1,000 hectares of land this year, which is double than that of the previous year.
Although banana is cultivated all through the year, it is harvested mostly in the Bangla month of Joistha.
The amount spent during the time of cultivation of banana could be recovered in six months by selling banana saplings.
From one banana tree, at least six to eight saplings come out.
One hundred saplings can be sold at Tk 3,000.
Besides, one bunch of banana can be sold at Tk400 to Tk800.
Banana is produced in almost all the four upazilas of Jhalakathi district.
The highest production of banana takes place in Kathalia upazila.
But farmers cultivate some other crops alongside banana and earn extra profit.
Presently, farmers create beds in rice fields and cultivate banana there since the price of rice is low now.
Saifur Rahman, a village doctor in Sadar upazila, said he planted 285 banana saplings on his 38 decimal land.
It cost him Tk40,000.
He hopes that his investment of Tk40,000 would be recovered by selling Dab (saplings) and he will earn neat income of about Tk1.5 lakh by selling banana.
His father Hakim Howlader cultivated banana on 60 decimals of land planting 575 saplings.
He expects that he would earn Tk2.5 lakh by selling banana and Tk 30,000 by selling saplings.
Source: UNBConnect
