Commercial cultivation of orange is gaining popularity in various upazilas of the district due to bumper production in recent years.
The Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) said, the soil, topography and annual rainfalls of 2,500mm to 3,000mm, acidic PH contents of 4.5 to 5 points in the district are favourable for commercial cultivation of the popular fruit.
Orange farming has flourished since its commercial production began under a five-year (2007-2011) Orange Development Project (ODP) of the DAE. During that time farmers were provided with necessary support including quality sapling.
However, farmers had been facing some problems in setting up of new orchards and gardens since the project expired in June 2011.
Shahiruddin Ahmed, Deputy Director of Panchagarh said, orange had the potential to become a cash crop for farmers in these districts. “A large number of farmers have begun orange production this year improving their livelihood to a great extent.”
“After the end of the project, we cannot do more than just giving advice to the orange growers’, he said.
The country is spending a good amount of foreign currency every year for importing oranges from India and some other countries. But a large quantity of it can easily be grown in Panchagarh and its adjacent districts if government patronised. This would also help to improve the economic condition of the poverty stricken people of the northern region.
According to Agriculture Department, at least 7,000 people have so far been trained and 41 thousand orange trees are now growing in 100 orange orchards on 100 hectares land and homesteads in five upazilas of Panchagarh.
These farmers suggested more government assistance for expanding the fruit’s commercial production, as they got excellent yield of oranges that are rich in colour, tastes and quality.
Achinta Kumar Karkun, one of the successful farmers said, “I planted one orange tree given by the horticulture centre and it started to bear fruits after three years. In the fourth year the tree bore about 200 fruits. Then I bought and planted 15 more saplings. The yield is really good and I am making a good profit.’
Habib Un Nabi Prodhan, a grower of Panchagarh Sadar upazila said, he had been successfully cultivating orange in his orchard for the last six years and selling those at a good price. Witnessing his success, a number of farmers had engaged themselves in the cultivation.
