Jalalur Rahman (Moulvibazar)
Correspondent:
Ripe oranges and oranges are swinging on the
branches of the trees lined up in the Lathitila forest division of the upazila
and various crooked high and low hills of the district. The oranges of this region
are in great demand in the country and abroad because of their good taste. In
the hills there are farmers' orange groves. The orange farmers of the hill town
are smiling with joy. However, the level of happiness of the farmers has
decreased a lot this time. Because this year was more drought than other years
and orange growers are worried about the attack of wee puka. As a result, the
interest of farmers has decreased more than before. It is known that some
farmers are using sexformun traps and light traps to kill insects. It is a
proper method of pest control. This has resulted in increased orange size and
yield in many orchards. According to agronomists, oranges are shade-loving
trees. Orange cultivation is best under the shade of fruit trees. Lalchhara,
Shuknachhara, Dumabarai, Laitila, Lakkhichhara, Hayachhara, Kachurgul of
Goalbari union of the upazila. Apart from oranges, the hill houses of other
villages, including Kalachhra in Purva Juri union and Putichhra in Sagarnal
union and Bahadurpur in Jaifarnagar union, have orchards of sharini and jara
lemons and tending to these gardens as a profession has been transformed into
the profession of the people of those villages. If the weather is favorable, a
yield of about 3/4 lakh rupees can be obtained from each garden. The farmers of
the orchards said that the cost of orange cultivation is low and labor is not
required. As a result, the farmers of the region are interested in orange
cultivation and are also becoming self-sufficient. According to Juri Upazila
Agriculture Office sources, approximately 84 orange orchards have been
developed in various 96.50 hectares of land in the upazila. Among them,
Goalbari union has 80 percent gardens. Most of the orange varieties are
cultivated in the area. The orchards are expected to yield 300 metric tons of
oranges this season. Morshed Mia (54), an orange farmer of Lalchara village,
said that the yield of oranges was not high this year. The yield is less than
other years due to the attack of wee puka killing orange trees. He said, this
time the market price of oranges is higher than last year, the size is also
smaller.
He is already selling oranges worth Tk 20,000. He said that he can sell oranges worth 50,000 rupees more. Juri Upazila Agriculture Officer Md. Mahmudul Alam Khan said that oranges are a shade-loving tree. Only a single garden is prone to sunburn. If farmers use properly balanced fertilizers and regularly use insecticidal sprays/sexformun traps to control pests and diseases, the yield will be better as well as the size. When asked to know the reason for the low yield of oranges, he said that the drought was more this time and the trees were old and diseased. Moreover, the farmers of the area are showing interest in Jara and Shadani lemon production.
