Cashew nut (Kaju Badam) is being grown experimentally in the Garo hills of the district as the hilly region is suitable for its cultivation.
Farmers of the district are happy as the cashew nuts have started to ripen. Orchard owners are dreaming of economic prosperity by cultivating cashew nuts as it is sold at higher prices. Indigenous hilly people think that Kaju Badam would change their livelihoods and native Bengali farmers also think so.
The land of Sherpur is suitable for Kaju Badam. Flowers and fruits are seen on cashew trees in a short time. That's why farmers are been interested in cultivating the nuts. Particularly young people of the district intend to plant cashew trees on their lands.
Farmer Soleman from the Gazni area in Jhenaigati upazila said he has 200 cashew trees on his 50 decimal of lands. He hopes that he would get 15-20 kilograms (kg) of Kaju Badam from each of the trees which would be sold at Tk 800 to Tk 1000 per kg.
Mentioning Kaju Badam as a new cash crop, Deputy Director (DD) of the district Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) Dr Sukalpa Das said they have taken pilot projects to boost Cashew nut cultivation in the district. "We expend a lot to import cashew nuts every season," he added.
