TANGAIL, Sept 10: Lemon growers in the district have been making a good profit for the last couple of years.
The Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE), Tangail, sources said lemon farming is popular across the district. Many people have already attained self-reliance by growing the citrus fruit.
Lemon is cultivated not only on plain cropland but also at homesteads and other fallow land.
Low production cost, easy process and high production have encouraged the farmers to grow the item on vast tract of land.
Weather and soil of the area are suitable for lemon production. Mirzapur and Delduar upazila of the district are well-known for producing quality lemon, DAE sources added.
Local farmer sources said a good quality of lemon is being exported to different countries from Delduar.
Farmer Akram Miah of Lauhati village under Delduar upazila said he takes care of his lemon field as he earns a good profit from it.
Lemon plants do not require much pesticide, irrigation or fertilisers. A little amount of fertiliser is mainly used one or two times a year, he added.
Sources said lemon farming has been expanding across the area as farmers earn handsome money every season.
One 'hali' (four pieces) of lemon is being sold at Tk 10 to Tk 25 as per its quality and size.
Market sources said some small lemon varieties are selling at Tk 25 to Tk 35 per kg in the wholesale markets.
DAE officials said repeated bumper yield encourage the new cultivators to grow the item on their land.
Sources said most of the lemon growers in the district were ultra-poor and they attained financial solvency after starting lemon farming.
Trader Haroon-ur-Rashid said lemon traders usually purchase the produce from the growers directly.
Traders from across the country visit the area every season to collect the item and send it to different districts.
DAE sources said lemon farming is expanding in the area.
The department arranges training facilities for the growers so that they produce quality lemon.
Talking to this correspondent a good number of growers urged the authority concerned to arrange loan facilities for them so that they can expand the fruit cultivation.
