Photo: BSS

By Md Mamun Islam

RANGPUR, Jan 7, 2026 (BSS) - Stable profitable prices since the outbreak of the Covid-19 epidemic in 2019, farmers have been encouraged to expand banana cultivation in all five districts of Rangpur agricultural region.

In the last six years, hundreds of farmers have changed their fortunes by cultivating bananas, making huge profits as the price of bananas has not dropped even once.
 
As a result, the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) officials, experts, and farmers are considering banana cultivation as a highly profitable venture in the mainland and riverine char areas to meet nutritional needs as well as achieve self-reliance.

According to DAE officials, after achieving bumper production and profitable prices in the last six years, farmers are expanding banana cultivation in Rangpur, Gaibandha, Kurigram, Lalmonirhat and Nilphamari districts of the region every year.
 
"Farmers have already cultivated bananas on 2,621 hectares of land during the current 2025-2026 Rabi season till last week in the region," Additional Director (Incharge) of the DAE for Rangpur region Agriculturist Md Shirajul Islam said.

Transplantation of banana saplings will continue till this month-end in the region.
 
"During the last 2024-2025 Rabi season, farmers cultivated bananas on 2,683 hectares of land in the region," Agriculturist Islam said.
 
Following massive motivational activities conducted by the DAE, farmers are expanding cultivation of bananas as a cash crop to reap more profits alongside meeting their own nutrition to strengthen body immunity. 
 
The DAE officials are assisting farmers and providing technical support to them in expanding cultivation of 'Meher Sagar', 'Malbhog', 'Sobri' and other varieties of banana on more lands both in mainland and char areas.
  
Meanwhile, harvesting of early varieties of bananas has already begun with a bumper yield and lucrative market price bringing huge profits to farmers making them happy.

Talking to BSS, farmers Abdur Rahman, Mokhlesur Rahman and Badal Hossain of different villages in Badarganj upazila of Rangpur said they have been cultivating bananas for the last 15 years and earning rewarding profits every year.
 
Farmers Mofizar Rahman, Abdul Hye and Nurun Nabi of village Dolapara in Taraganj upazila and Habibur Rahman of village Gopalpur in Badarganj upazila of Rangpur said they have cultivated bananas on more land areas this time than last season.
 
Farmers Yusuf Ali, Babul Akhter, Nurul Islam and Mahbubar of different char villages in Nageshwari upazila of Kurigram said char people have been successfully cultivating bananas on char lands and reaping lucrative profits for the last ten years.
 
"We are selling bananas on one side of char lands and cultivating it afresh on the other side on vacant lands round the year. The process of formation and growth of new banana bunches continues all the time giving the gardens fresh looks," said Yusuf Ali. 

Babul Akhter said more and more char lands are being brought under banana farming in Nageshwari upazila like in other upazilas of Kurigram every year. 
 
"We are cultivating bananas afresh round the year with other crops adopting intercropping and relay methods on char lands. Banana farming is largely contributing to our socio-economic development," he said.

Retail fruit traders Fazlur Rahman at Rangpur City Bazar and Abdus Samad at Pirgachha Bazar in Rangpur said they are selling every four pieces of 'Malbhog' and 'Sobri' varieties of bananas at rates between Taka 35 and Taka 50 now.
 
Deputy Director of the DAE's Burirhat Horticulture Centre in Rangpur Dr Md Abu Sayem said banana cultivation is expanding in both mainland and char areas, improving farmers' livelihoods and keeping the rural economy vibrant.