A wholesale banana market at Dashmail in Kaharole upazila of the district has emerged as the largest banana trading hub in northern Bangladesh, with raw bananas worth around Taka one crore being sold there every day.
Hundreds of trucks transport the bananas from the market to Dhaka and other parts of the country, creating employment opportunities for several hundred workers who are engaged in loading and unloading the produce.
Deputy Director of Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) Md Afzal Hossain said he visited the Dashmail wholesale market on Monday and witnessed a huge inflow of bananas. A large number of wholesalers from outside the district come to the market every day to purchase bananas.
He said Kaharole and the neighbouring upazilas of Birganj, Khansama, Chirirbandar and Bochaganj, as well as Thakurgaon Sadar and Pirganj, have suitable land for banana cultivation.
As the crop is profitable, farmers in the region are becoming increasingly interested in growing bananas.
The locally produced bananas are meeting local demand while also being sent daily to Dhaka and other parts of the country. High market prices and increased production have further encouraged farmers to expand cultivation.
As bananas remain in demand across the country from Baishakh to Ashwin, the wholesale market at Dashmail is currently operating every day. Traders from different parts of the country come to the market and transport bananas by trucks and other vehicles.
Afzal Hossain said the district had set a target of cultivating bananas on 5,200 hectares of land this year. However, favourable weather and strong demand have resulted in an additional 350 hectares being brought under banana cultivation.
Kaharole Upazila Agriculture Officer Md Hafizur Rahman said bananas were cultivated on 542 hectares in the upazila this season, compared with 335 hectares last year.
He said farmers are now busy cultivating bananas alongside other crops and the upazila has witnessed a bumper yield this year. Farmers are happy as they are receiving good prices for their produce.
A visit to the Dashmail banana market on Monday found farmers, traders and wholesalers busy throughout the day.
Rows of banana bunches were stacked across the market, while farmers brought their produce by vans from morning until afternoon. The bananas were being sold directly from the vans following negotiations between growers and wholesalers.
Nurul Islam Laizu, a banana grower from Gurunurpur village in Kaharole, said he cultivated bananas on 52 decimals of land this year. He brought 100 banana bunches to the Dashmail market and sold them for Taka 82,000. He expects to sell bananas worth more than Taka 200,000 from his field.
Another farmer from the same village, Abdul Ahad, said he sold each banana bunch for Taka 690. He cultivated bananas on three and a half bighas of land this year and said the yield was quite good.
He expects to sell bananas worth more than Taka 4,50,000 if the current price continues. He said farmers could make a good profit if such prices prevail in the market.
Md Niamul Islam, a banana trader from Dhaka, said good-quality bananas command relatively higher prices. He purchases three to four truckloads of raw bananas every day and sends them to Dhaka.
Md Shohen Ali, a worker at the Dashmail banana market, said a worker can earn between Taka 1,000 and Taka 1,200 a day by loading trucks. Several hundred workers are engaged in loading banana trucks at the market every day.
Additional Director of the DAE’s Dinajpur regional office agriculturist Md Riaz Uddin said bananas are a profitable crop and farmers in the region have shown growing interest in cultivating improved varieties such as Meher Sagar, Malbhog, Chini Champa and Sabri.
He said the agricultural department is providing farmers with regular technical assistance and advice to ensure better banana production. As a result, farmers are achieving good yields and receiving satisfactory prices for their produce.
