Betel nut growing and trading create a large economic activity every year in Raipur, Lakshmipur. Betel nuts are now selling briskly in the upazila’s markets. With a somewhat smaller crop this year, the price per pon has risen by Tk 20 to 50 compared with last year. A pon (80 nuts) now sells for Tk 160 to 220, depending on size and quality. According to the upazila agriculture department’s estimate, ripe, dried and soaked betel nuts together could bring in trade of about Tk 400 crore this season.
The upazila has large betel nut markets at Mirganj, Rakhalia, Mollar Hat, Basabari, Mitali Bazar, Babur Hat and Haidarganj. Mirganj and Haidarganj are among the main ones. In the season these markets bustle with farmers, wholesalers, stockists and retailers.
Betel nuts grown in Raipur meet local demand and are also supplied to other districts. Through wholesalers and traders they reach markets across the country, so Raipur plays an important role in the betel nut trade at the national level as well as meeting local needs.
Local farmers and traders said the nuts in the gardens ripen in September and October and are fully ripe by November. Farmers then gather them from the gardens and sell them in the market. Wholesalers and stockists buy them, soak some in water and dry the rest for storage. They are sold later according to market demand and prices.
Betel nut wholesaler Jamal Hossain of Bamni union said: “September, October and November are the main season for buying and selling. Stockists of soaked nuts buy in groups from different markets at this time. From January to March prices start rising, and demand for and sales of soaked nuts are higher then.”
Although the yield is lower this year, farmers are somewhat relieved by the higher prices. But after production costs, labour, harvesting and transport, their real profit varies from garden to garden.
According to the agriculture department, crops are grown on about 13,000 hectares of land in Raipur upazila. Betel nut gardens lie outside the cultivated land, in homesteads, on raised land and around houses, and they play an important part in the upazila’s farm economy.
Besides betel nut, Raipur also has considerable potential in coconut and green coconut. Growing, collecting, transporting and marketing these products has created jobs for many people locally.
Upazila Agriculture Officer Majedul Islam, an agriculturist, said: “More than half of the betel nut grown in Lakshmipur district comes from Raipur upazila. By the agriculture department’s estimate, ripe, dried and soaked betel nuts worth about Tk 400 crore could be sold this year. Coconut and green coconut sales could also bring in large sums.”
“If the production and marketing of farm products such as betel nut, coconut and green coconut can be improved further, their contribution to Raipur’s economy will grow. In particular, building modern storage would further increase the commercial potential of this sector,” he said.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report