Jara Lemon—a special kind of lemon grown by farmers in Jaintiapur and Gowainghat upazilas—appears to be a profitable fruit in terms of business prospect, as it has a fair demand in foreign countries, and can easily be exported after meeting the local demand.
Its cultivation is gaining popularity among farmers as more than 200 families in these two upazilas have become self-reliant by cultivating the fruit.
Chiknagul, Haripur, Fatehpur, and Banigram regions are suitable for Jara Lemon cultivation owing to its hilly terrain.
Jara Lemon is being commercially cultivated in Shyampur, Haripur, Agerkhal, Shikarkhan, Uthlarpar, Umanpur, Panichhara, Thakurer Mati, Kalinanjibari, and Banigram villages.
It is being exported to the UK, US, Singapore, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the UAE, and other parts of the Middle East.
Abdul Jabbar, a farmer of Bagerkhal village in Jaintiapur upazila, said: “We’re cultivating Jara Lemon commercially now, whereas our ancestors used to produce it only to meet the family needs.”
Another farmer, Shamsul Islam, said they used to receive fertilizers, and insecticides from the government in the past but now they do not get any such support.
“If we get good quality seeds, and necessary training, the production will be much higher than what it is now,” he added.
Shamsul further said he made a profit of Tk1 lakh in the current season from Jara cultivation with five labourers working in his lemon garden.
Farmers of these areas are showing more interest in Jara farming due to its high production, and better prospect of making profit.
Dr Mahmudul Hasan Nazrul, the chief scientific officer of Jaintapur Citrus Research Center, said the land, and weather of Jaintapur are very much suitable for citrus fruit cultivation.
The research centre has been providing regular training, and seeds to the local farmers, he added. l
