Home ›› 08 Nov 2022 ›› Nation
Betel leaf produced in Kushtia is now exported abroad, increasing the interest of farmers to expand their cultivation.
Kushtia’s betel leaf has always been popular across the country but now it has gained overseas popularity also. Due to this, betel nut cultivation is increasing day by day in Sadar, Mirpur and Bheramara upazilas of the district.
According to the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) Kushtia, betel leaf was cultivated on 2,120 hectares of land in FY 2017-18, on 2,140 hectares in FY 2020-21, and on 2,230 hectares in FY 2021-22. DAE officials expect cultivation will expand further in FY 2022-23.
Mirpur upazila Agriculture Officer Abdullah Al Mamun said in FY 2021-22 about 20 tonnes of betel leaves were exported from Mirpur upazila to several Middle Eastern countries and England. At the same time, 22 tonnes from Sadar upazila and 27 tonnes from Bheramara upazila were exported.
An average of about Tk 35 crore worth of betel leaf is exported annually from the district.
Previously, many farmers of Kushtia had turned away from betel leaf cultivation after facing continuous losses. But in the past few years, an increasing number of farmers have resumed betel cultivation lured by a hefty profit from exports.
Farmers nowadays use organic pesticides which on one hand, produce healthy leaves and on the other, increase the yield. The demand for organic betel leaves is also high both at home and abroad.
The most cultivated varieties in Kushtia are bangla, mitha, desi, jhali, sachi, korpuri, gach, maghi, ujani, natiabasut, barishal, BARI pan-1, BARI pan-2 and BARI pan-3.
Among them, bangla and mitha betel leaves are the most cultivated. The bangla variety is rot and disease-resistant, so farmers are more inclined to cultivate this variety.
Agriculture officials said they have provided training to the farmers of this region on modern methods of the conservation of their betel leaf borouj and the proper use of pesticides. A borouj is a greenhouse made of bamboo and coconut leaves inside which betel leaves are cultivated.
Using modern methods of cultivation the farmers are now making a profit of Tk 1-1.5 lakh per bigha from betel leaf farming.
Even a few years ago, farmers of this area were mostly engaged in tobacco cultivation, but now many have turned to betel leaf production.
Many farmers of Kushtia have become self-reliant by cultivating and exporting betel leaves. Hashem Ali Khan, a youth of Hazrahati village in Mirpur upazila is among them.
Hashem said constructing a borouj for the first time is costly but in later years, farmers’ profit increase gradually.
“I made a betel leaf borouj on 2.5 bigha land a few years ago. This year I expect to make a profit of Tk 3 lakh,” he said. Five other workers earn their livelihoods working on his borouj as day labourers.
Shahidul Islam of Kuchiamora area of Bheramara upazila used to grow tobacco earlier, but two years ago, he shifted to cultivating betel leaves.
“I cultivated bangla variety on one bigha land and made a profit of about Tk 1-1.5 lakh. This year I expanded cultivation to three bigha land,” Shahidul said, adding that this variety is in high demand in many areas of the country.
Abdur Rahman of Bheramara upazila said since the opening of the Padma Bridge to the public, transportation costs have lessened.
“Now I can easily send my betel leaves to Dhaka, Chattogram and other districts and make a better profit,” he said.
District DAE sources said betel leaf growers of Kushtia have found success in using organic and non-toxic methods in their cultivation. Farmers use mulberry extract and limewater mixture as organic pesticides.
The leaves produced in this method are healthy and due to their high demand, farmers are profiting financially. Using the organic cultivation method has also increased the harvest significantly as there are fewer diseases.
Saidul Islam, a betel grower of Brittipara under Sadar upazila, said farmers of this area had been using conventional pesticides for a long time. But on the advice of agricultural officers, they began using organic pesticides and received good results.
Ramesh Chandra Ghosh, director of the sustainable agricultural development extension project of Jashore, said the farmers of Kushtia are profiting from cultivating high-yielding betel leaf variety and using organic pesticides.
“Kushtia’s betel leaf export has huge potential, and expanding it may help to earn increased foreign currency. The government should consider a project in this regard,” Ramesh said.
