RANGPUR, July 24, 2022 (BSS) - A bumper production of banana is likely this year in all five districts of Rangpur agriculture region where farming of the crop continues expanding every year in the last 13 years.

  Officials of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) said farmers have cultivated bananas on 4,520 hectares of land, including on 2,756 hectares during the last Rabi season and 1,764 hectares during the Kharif-1 season this year.

  "Last year, farmers cultivated bananas on 4,209 hectares of land, including on 2,559 hectares during the Rabi and 1,650 hectares during the Kharif-1 seasons," said Additional Director of the DAE for Rangpur region Md. Emdad Hossain Sheikh.

  Currently, harvesting of bananas cultivated during the last Rabi season continues in full swing making farmers happy with an excellent yield and lucrative market prices amid abundant supply of the nutritious fruit in the local markets.

  Meanwhile, tender banana plants, cultivated during the Kharif-1 season this year, are growing superbly amid superb climatic conditions as harvesting of the same will begin later this year.

  Being inspired by the DAE and other agriculture related organizations, farmers are showing keen interest in expanding cultivation of bananas as a cash crop round the year both on the mainland and riverine char areas to reap more profits every year.

  "Aloongside attaining economic self-reliance and improving livelihoods, farmers are meeting their own nutrition and public nourishment as well to enhance immunity against the Covid-19 virus through farming bananas," Hossain said. The field level DAE officials are assisting farmers, riverside and char people and providing latest technologies to them to expand cultivation of 'Meher Sagar', 'Sobri' and other varieties of banana on more lands both in mainland and char areas.

  Enthusiastic bigger, small and marginal farmers and landless char and riverside people have cultivated bananas in all 58 upazilas of Rangpur, Gaibandha, Kurigram, Lalmonirhat and Nilphamari districts in the region this year.

  Talking to BSS, farmers Abdul Hakim and Mokhlesur Rahman of Badarganj upazila in Rangpur, Lokman Hossain and Rafikul Islam of Nageswari upazila in Kuirgram and Harun Ur Rashid and Akmal Hossain of Kaliganj upazila in Lalmonirhat said they have cultivated banana on more land areas both in the mainland and char areas this year.   

  Farmer Aminul Islam of Phulbari upazila in Kuirgram said char people are selling bananas on one side and cultivating the crop afresh on the other side on vacant char lands round the year.

 "The process of cultivation, formation of bananas and growth of new banana bunches and harvestiong of the cash crop continue all the time giving the gardens fresh looks round the year," Islam added.

  Deputy Director of the DAE for Rangpur Md. Obaidur Rahman Mandal said cultivation of bananas along with vegetables in relay methods has become popular in recent years to change the fortune of many people.

  "The DAE is assisting farmers and providing latest technologies to expand cultivation of bananas as a cash crop both on the mainland and char areas on a commercial basis to improve their livelihoods and living standard as well," Mandal added.