Narsingdi, June 19 (BSS) – Lotkan production has brought smile on the face
of over 2000 marginal farmers in 20 villages of Shibpur and Belabo upazilas
of the district.
Farmers are very happy with the bumper yield of lotkan this year and they
are showing their interest to grow more lotkan on their homestead garden and
other fallow lands as it changed their lot
Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) officials said Lotkan a local
delicious fruit become popular since 1990.
A number of farmers had started small scale cultivation of Lotkan few years
back on experimental basis in the radish lands of Shibpur and Belabo upazilas
and achieved remarkable success.
Many farmers here gradually raised the number of orchards in their own
initiative and they also now have been cultivating Lotkan in their homestead
gardens and earning cash.
Deputy Director of DAE Latafat Hossain told BSS that Lotkan tree generally
grows in high fallow lands where scope of other crop cultivation is limited.
He said at present there are 10 to12 lakh lotkan trees in different
villages of Shibpur, Belabo and Polash upazilaa of the district. The juicy
fruit is small and round in size like Litchi.
Lotkan has extreme demand because of its nice colour, sweet and flavour.
Per Kg Lotkan is now selling at Tk 70 to 80 in the local markets. Lotkan is
now exported in foreigh countries.The farmers are happy getting an excellent
output with lucrative prices of the juicy and fleshy seasonal fruit.
Talking to BSS, Nural Amin of Amlabo village under Belabo upazila said he
planted over 500 saplings of Lotkan in his three bighas of land twelve years
ago. The plants grew well and within four years he is getting good yield of
fruits.
He said harvesting of lotkan has begun from last week of Bangla month
Jaistha. Nural Amin expressed his satisfaction over the production of Lotkan
in his orchards this season.
Like Nural Amin, there are a number of farmers in Shibpur and Belabo
upazilas of the district brings fortune by cultivating lotkan and leading
happy life.