Over 500 poor families in Narsingdi’s Polash upazila have become self-reliant through commercial farming of pineapple.
Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) sources said, a good number of farmers mainly in three villages — Rabon, Borabo ,Jinardee– and some hilly areas of Ghorshal Pourashava have involved themselves in cultivating honey queen variety pineapple, a popular and juicy fruit across the country for a long time considering its economic prospect.
DAE’s deputy director Shovan Kumar Dhar said that during the current season, some 1200 acres of land of these areas have been brought under pineapple cultivation, reports BSS.
He said with the necessary help and logistic support of DAE, huge quantities of pineapple are being produced in Polash Upazila.
He also said though this variety of pineapple is small in size, but it is very tasty with excellent flavour.
This correspondent recently found farmers’ business in harvesting pineapple in their gardens while visiting Jinardee, Raban and Borabo villages of Polash upazila.
Rabindranath, a fortunate farmer of village Raban, changed his lot by cultivating honey queen variety of pineapple in his radish high land.
He said this year he planted 4000 saplings of pineapple on his five bigas of land which cost only Tk 10000.
He expressed his satisfaction over the production this year.
The farmer is hopeful to earn about Tk 1,50000 by selling pineapple while currently he selling a single piece of pineapple at Tk 35 to 40 in the local market.
Like Rabindranath, a number of farmers have also changed their lots by farming pineapple.