NAOGAON, Dec 10: Farming of banana is gaining popularity in Mohadevpur upazila of the district as the soil of the area has been proved suitable for cultivation of the popular fruit.
Sources at the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) said bananas have been cultivated on some 220 hectares of land in ten unions of the upazila this year.
Farmers are cultivating different varieties of bananas including Manik, Chinichampa, Chapa, Anupam and Meher Sagar, the sources added.
One Md. Kalam of Safapur village under Mohadevpur upazila said usually around 350 to 400 banana plants are transplanted on one bigha of land. Of them, 300 to 320 plants may give fruits.
Peasants of our area are shifting to banana cultivation these days as they received plenteous output last year due to favourable weather condition, he added.
Farmer Md. Kuddus of Shibganj village under the upazila said he cultivated banana on two bighas of land (66 decimals) this season expending around Tk 60,000.
"I am hopeful of getting a profit of Tk 70,000 to Tk 80,000 from my cultivation", he added.
Upazila agriculture officer Arun Chandra Roy stated farmers are showing more interest in banana cultivation than that of the other crops as the demand of banana prevails round the year in the market and sells at good price.
Suggestions to the farmers regarding use of quality fertilisers, pesticides and other agri-inputs during banana cultivation are continuing from the DAE, Mr Roy added.
