Papaya cultivation gaining popularity in Manikganjs Singair

Papaya cultivation gaining popularity in Manikganjs Singair

The cultivation of Papaya is gaining popularity to the farmers of Singair upazila of the district as farming of the fruit cum vegetable is profitable and its demand is rising across the country. Farmers are encouraged to cultivate papaya because of the availability of high yielding variety, fast and high yields as well as higher financial prospects. A vast area of Singair upazila is covered with green papaya fields and the farmers are busy cultivating, nursing and harvesting the fruit cum vegetable. The Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) said a lot of families are cultivating papaya and extending its cultivation area every year. Previously, people planted papaya saplings in their home garden for family use but at present, commercial farming of Papaya is on the rise, it added. Md Juran Khan and Bhanu Bibi of Char Azimpur village said they are expecting a profit of Taka 8 to 10 lakh this year with the cultivation of papaya. Abu Taher, another cultivator of village Beguntubi, said he has already earned about Taka 1.5 lakh selling papaya from his early cultivated six bighas of land and he is expecting earning at least Taka 5-6 lakh during the current season. Amed Ali of Boiragirtek, Kamal Baroi of Shibpur village, Babul Mia of Azimpur village, Hisham uddin of Golapnagar village under Shayesta union, S M Shahidul Kabir of Rajendrapur village of Talebpur union and Salam Mollah of Kangsha village under the same union said they have cultivated Papaya on their land which are growing well. The farmers are expecting good production. Everyday a good number of Papaya cultivators wait by the side of the Hemayetpur-Manikganj Regional Highway with various types of Papaya to sell those to the passerby. Consumers are getting the benefits of increasing production. They are happy to get ripe papaya at a cheaper price during the holy month of Ramadan as it is one of the favourite items of Iftar. When this correspondent visited different parts of Singair upazila found farmers of vast areas were engaged in collecting papaya and supplying those to the markets. Under the big papaya trees new plants are being planted. Singair Upazila Agriculture Officer Tipu Sultan Swapon said a total of 850 hectares of land was brought under papaya cultivation during the current season with a production target of 17, 000 tonnes. He said the DAE is giving necessary training to the papaya cultivators and advised them to visit the farming areas regularly to get more production. So, the cultivators of the upazila are feeling encouraged to cultivate the fruit cum vegetable. The Deputy Director of Agriculture Extension (DAE) Dr. Robiah Noor Ahmed said the soil of Singair upazila of the district is suitable for papaya cultivation. Quality papaya grows here abundantly, he added. Traders said papaya is being used more as a vegetable than fruits. Papaya is supplied to the different markets including the capital city after fulfilling the demands of the district.