Ripe red and yellow cashew fruits hang in clusters on the hills of Bandarban, and farmers are busy bringing them in. Cashews that were once left to rot in the hill orchards have now become one of the most profitable cash crops in the hills.

In different parts of the district, some farmers are picking cashews from the trees while others gather them, bring them home and dry them in the sun.

Farmers said most families in the hills have cashew orchards, large or small. Some have two to four hundred trees, while others have thousands of trees across 20 to 30 acres. Disease and production costs are low, and with comparatively high profits and assured sales, many are turning to cashew cultivation. Unshelled cashews currently sell for Tk 5,500 to Tk 6,000 a maund.

Reining Mro, karbari (head) of Dinte Para in Balipara union of Thanchi and a cashew grower, said he used to practise jhum farming with his seven-member family. As jhum yields fell, he has now planted an orchard of about 2,000 cashew trees across 25 acres. Last year he sold 27 maunds of cashew for Tk 1,48,000. This year he expects 54 maunds, worth about Tk 2,97,000.

Longchai Khumi of Thangnang Para said he has 800 cashew trees. Last year he earned Tk 1,21,000 from selling 22 maunds, and this year he expects 25 maunds. He also said a maund of cashew is now selling for Tk 5,500 to Tk 6,000.

Bajerung Tripura of Balipara union said he used to do only jhum farming. Now, along with jhum, he has planted various fruit orchards and a cashew orchard. Everyone is doing well from selling cashews, he said. Last year he got Tk 1,12,000 from selling 20 maunds from 800 trees, and this year he expects 40 maunds.

Tarekul Islam, managing director of Bandarban Kishan Ghar, said: "I started the business in 2020. It employs 74 people. Last year I bought cashew at Tk 7,500 to Tk 8,000 a maund. But because they cannot get farm loans from banks, farmers are forced to sell their cashews in advance at low prices to dadon (advance-credit) traders. I call for farm loans on easy terms for farmers."

According to the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) in Bandarban, cashew was grown on 2,556 hectares in 2022-23, producing 1,460 tonnes. In 2023-24, 1,606 tonnes were produced from 2,619 hectares, and in 2024-25, 1,781 tonnes from 2,711 hectares.

Agriculturist Abu Naim Mohammad Saifuddin, deputy director of the DAE in Bandarban, said: "Coffee and cashew are very profitable crops in Bandarban. Through an agriculture ministry project, farmers are being given training and advice, and demonstration orchards are being set up. As a result cashew cultivation is growing day by day and farmers are benefiting economically. Cashew trees start bearing three to four years after planting, so although it takes time, I hope cultivation will increase in future."

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.