RAJSHAHI, March 19, 2024 (BSS) - Farming of strawberries has become a boon
for many people, including youths, as they have made their fortunes through
the cash crop production in the region, including its vast Barind tract.

According to the sources concerned, commercial farming of the high-valued
seasonal crop has been gaining popularity as it's more profitable than many
other seasonal fruits and vegetables.
 
Bakkar Ali, a farmer of Parila village, said a large number of people, mostly
unemployed youths, have become dependent on strawberry farming to earn a
living as its cultivation is easier and more profitable than other crops.
 
The youths are supplying strawberries to different markets across the country
as the fruit is being used in preparing ice-cream, jams, jellies, pickles,
chocolates and biscuits.

Ali mentioned that strawberry has brought diversifications in both wholesale
and retail fruit markets as its farming has been gaining popularity in the
region for the last couple of decades.

Tazimul Haque, 53, another farmer of Baroipara village under Paba upazila,
said each plant bears around 250 to 300 grams of fruit and some 6,000 plants
can be grown on one bigha of land.

The red juicy and nutritious fruit are now being supplied to markets in the
capital, he said, adding strawberry cultivation is easier than potatoes or
eggplant.
 
Saplings can be planted in rows between November and December every year, he
said.
 
Illustrating the salient feature of strawberry, a high-valued cash crop, he
said the plants start flowering within one month of plantation and fruits can
be collected till March.

Hamidul Haque, another farmer of Puthiya, who has been cultivating the cash
crop for more than 12 years, said there is a bright prospect of strawberry
farming everywhere in the region.

Professor Dr Manzur Hossain, who is a pioneer in the country's strawberry
research, variety innovation and growers' level farming expansion, said
Bangladeshi strawberry varieties have been adjudged as world's best
strawberry.

Farming of the juicy fruit has already begun in many districts in the region,
he said.
 
With the average price of a kilogram of Strawberry standing at Taka 700, the
commercially viable fruit presents great export potentials and ushers in
economic prospects for those who wish to get high and fast returns from
limited land resources, he added.

Professor Hossain, a retired teacher of the Department of Botany in Rajshahi
University, said they have innovated three varieties of strawberry through
applying tissue culture method.
 
All the varieties are being cultivated massively as those were found adaptive
to the region's soil and environmental conditions.
 
Strawberry, a succulent fruit popular in different parts of the globe, is
also gradually becoming popular among the local people.

Farmers' level extension of strawberry farming can bring a new horizon in
agriculture sector in the region, Hossain mentioned.

The fruit will no doubt be a profitable crop for farmers, he said, adding,
"If it is grown on a large scale, the highly nutritious fruit will come
within the reach of the common people. There will be no need for imports".

Due attention should be given to motivate the farmers so that they could be
encouraged towards farming the cash crop commercially as it has high economic
importance, he continued.

Additional Director of Department of Agricultural Extension Mahmudul Faruque
told BSS that interest of the farmers is gradually increasing as there are
suitable production and marketing systems in this field.
 
Farmers' level extension of strawberry farming has started bringing a new
horizon in the field of agriculture and economic sectors in the region.