RAJSHAHI, Feb 15, 2023 (BSS) - Newly harvested strawberries are seen making
both growers and consumers happy as the high-valued crop is offering
lucrative prices to the producers besides meeting local demands for the last
couple of weeks.

Strawberry, a succulent fruit popular in different parts of the globe, is
being sold in retail markets at Taka 500 to 600 per kilogram on an average at
present. It has gradually been becoming popular among both farmers and the
consumers in general.
 
Farmers' level extension of strawberry farming has started bringing a new
horizon in the agriculture sector in the region.

Many people including youths have made their fortunes through strawberry
farming as its commercial farming is more profitable than many other seasonal
fruits and vegetables.

Commercial farming of strawberries has been gaining popularity in the region,
including the vast Barind tract for its economic prospects.

Bakkar Ali, a farmer of Parila village under Paba Upazila in the district,
said a large number of people, mostly unemployed youths, have become
dependent on strawberry farming to earn a living as its cultivation is easier
and more profitable than other crops.
 
The youths are supplying strawberries to different markets across the country
as the fruit is being used in preparing ice-cream, jams, jellies, pickles,
chocolates and biscuits.

Illustrating the salient feature of strawberry, a high-valued cash crop, he
said the plants start flowering within one month of plantation and fruits can
be collected till March.

Hamidul Haque, another farmer of Puthiya, who has been cultivating the cash
crop for more than 12 years, said there is a bright prospect of strawberry
farming everywhere in the region.
 
The red juicy and nutritious fruit are now being supplied to markets in the
capital, he said, adding strawberry cultivation is easier than potatoes or
eggplant.

Saplings can be planted in rows between November and December every year, he
said.

Tazimul Haque, 54, a farmer of Baroipara village under Paba upazila, said
each plant bears around 250 to 300 grams of fruit and some 6,000 plants can
be grown on one bigha of land.
 
Professor Dr Manzur Hossain, who is a pioneer in the country's strawberry
research, variety innovation and growers' level farming expansion, said
Bangladeshi strawberry variety has been adjudged as world's best strawberry.

Strawberry cultivation is as easy as growing potatoes or eggplant. Saplings
can be planted in rows during the period between November and December every
year.
 
Farming of the juicy fruit has already begun in many districts in the region,
he said.

The fruit will no doubt be a profitable crop for farmers, Professor Hossain,
a senior teacher in the Department of Botany at Rajshahi University said,
adding "If it is grown on a large scale, the highly nutritious fruit will
come within the reach of the common people. There will be no need for
imports".

 With the average price of a kilogram of Strawberry standing at Taka 700, the
commercially viable fruit presents great export potentials and ushers in
economic prospects for those who wish to get high and fast returns from
limited land resources, he added.

Prof Hossain said they have innovated three varieties of strawberry through
applying tissue culture methods.

All the varieties are being cultivated massively as those were found adaptive
to the region's soil and environmental conditions, he added.

Due attention should be given to motivate the farmers so that they could be
encouraged towards farming the cash crop commercially as it has high economic
importance, he continued.