Commercial betel leaf farming is shrinking in Cumilla year by year. Although betel leaf is a promising cash crop, growers are losing interest. They say pests and disease are damaging their crops and the agriculture department does not monitor the problem, so they are counting losses instead of profits. Without government patronage, they fear, a century-old form of farming could disappear at any time, which could also have some negative effect on the country's economy.

According to the agriculture department, betel leaf was grown on about 116 hectares across most upazilas of the district, including Chandina, Debidwar, Muradnagar, Burichang and Barura, but in the past year the area has fallen to 80 hectares.

In Gunaighar village in Debidwar and Harang village in Chandina, rows of betel vineyards stand beside the road. Some workers tie the vines to muli bamboo with string, some clear weeds, and others pick leaves for sale. Green betel leaves sway on every vine, a sight pleasing to anyone who passes.

Anil Chandra Dutta, a betel grower in Gunaighar, Debidwar, said: "Many of our vines are rotting, and the leaves rot too. Which medicine should we use? We get no advice from the agriculture office either. Besides, it costs a great deal from planting a vine until it is ready for sale, and we are not making much profit now. If we got incentives and proper advice from the agriculture department, we would not have to count losses."

Grower Nepal said: "I joined this occupation following my father and grandfather, and I have been farming for 40 years. We used to earn a lot, but not any more. The cost of everything, from fertiliser to medicine, has gone up. Because the income does not match the labour, many have started changing occupation."

Grower Nikhil Chandra said: "The government gives farmers a lot of cash, fertiliser, seed, other inputs and advice. But betel growers are deprived of all this. Why this discrimination against us? Our demand is that the government arrange incentives and all-round support to keep betel growers alive."

Ayub Mahmud, deputy director of the district Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), said: "Betel leaf is grown to some extent in all 17 upazilas of Cumilla, but cultivation is gradually declining. It used to be grown on 116 hectares, but in the past year it has fallen by 36 hectares. Betel is now grown on 80 hectares. We try to keep in regular touch with betel growers. Advice and incentives are given for other farming, but there is no allocation for betel growers. The authorities will be informed so that support can be given in future."

Dr Swapan Chandra Majumder, professor of economics at Cumilla University, said: "A large number of people are involved in this productive sector. If they leave it, unemployment will rise, and at the same time there will be some negative impact on the economy. So the government should arrange incentives for betel growers and stand by them with proper advice."

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