Despite a huge demand for pomelo in the local market, farmers are worried and frustrated as they are not getting fair prices of juicy and delicious fruit.
The hill district of Rangamati has seen a bumper harvest of pomelo this year. Pomelo trees have produced huge fruits in various upazilas.
A field visit showed engine-run boats anchoring at Samata Ghat near Banarupa market in Rangamati. Farmers are bringing pomelos from remote areas of Barkal, Longadu, Naniarchar, and Juraichhari upazilas by waterways. As soon as they arrive at the ghat, wholesale traders buy pomelos at Tk7–9 per piece and load them into trucks. Later, they supply pomelos to Dhaka, Chittagong, Comilla, Feni, Noakhali, and other districts across the country.
Wholesale trader Md Shahid said, “This year, the price of pomelo is very low. Last year, I sold them for Tk 15–16 each, but this year we’re getting only Tk10–11. Since other local fruits are widely available in the market, the price of pomelo has fallen. As a result, we are incurring losses.”
Farmers also echoed the same. Jibon Ratan Chakma, a farmer from Kattalibil area of Longadu, said, “Although the district has seen bumper harvest, the lack of timely rainfall caused the pomelos to grow smaller. That’s why we are selling them at maximum Tk7–9 each. Compared to last year, the price is much lower, and we will suffer huge losses.”
Mintu Chakma from Barkal upazila said, “Despite the bumper yield, fruits are small, and prices are low. As a result, the farmers have got frustrated.”
According to the Rangamati Agriculture Department, this year pomelos were cultivated on 1,175 hectares of land in the district, with a production target of 13,500 metric tons.
Md. Moniruzzaman, Deputy Director of the Rangamati Department of Agricultural Extension, said, “Even though the yield is good, the main reason the pomelos are smaller is the age of the trees and lack of proper fertilization. Farmers did not apply fertilizers correctly, resulting in smaller fruit size. Consequently, market prices have also dropped.”
