Betel nut (supari) is grown in every village of Jhalakathi. The yield this year has been better than in other years, but growers have expressed frustration at the slump in prices. Even so, every market (haat) in the district has a separate area for buying and selling betel nut, and the markets are busy with buyers and sellers.

Betel nut worth several crore taka is bought and sold every year in 471 villages in 32 unions of the district's four upazilas. With favourable weather, the yield has been good this time. Each kuri, or 210 nuts, is selling for Tk 220 to Tk 250. Although the yield is good, growers are disappointed by the low prices.

At markets across the district, including Chhatrakanda and C&B Bazar in Jhalakathi, Bagri, Lebubunia, Badurtola and Napiterhat in Rajapur, Bhairabpasha, Shatpakia, Chaklar Bazar, Manpasha and Mollarhat in Nalchity, and Koikhali, Satani Bazar and Amua in Kathalia, betel nut worth about Tk 5 crore is traded every day. After meeting local demand, growers sell the nuts to wholesalers, who supply them to different parts of the country.

Growers say betel nut carries less risk and lower production costs than other crops. Because there is little disease or pest attack, interest in growing it is rising day by day. Buyers said that with higher production this year they can buy betel nut cheaply and hope to make a good profit.

Agriculture officials said the yield has been good this time thanks to favourable weather, and if market prices stay stable growers will benefit more. Abdullah Al Mamun, deputy director of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) in Jhalakathi, said: "We at DAE are trying to promote well-planned betel nut farming, and we are encouraging farmers to grow it in a way that contributes more to our economy."

"This year the weather and rainfall were favourable for betel nut, so the yield in this region has been very good, and seeing this people in the area are becoming more interested in growing it," he said. "Betel nut garden owners profit every year by selling nuts. Because the yield is higher, the market price is a little lower. Betel nut has been grown on 700 hectares in the district this season. Being profitable, the crop is making a big contribution to the rural economy."

Of the district's 471 villages, 54 villages in Rajapur have had a bumper crop this time. After meeting the district's needs, the nuts are being sent to different parts of the country and even exported. Wholesalers from far away are crowding the local markets to buy betel nut.

Those involved said Jhalakathi's betel nut is exported to India, China and Thailand. Some traders from Jashore and Benapole buy betel nut from Jhalakathi and export it to India, while traders from Chattogram export it to China and Thailand.

Betel nut was being traded at the Chhatrakanda haat in Sadar upazila. Hundreds of farmers and wholesalers from inside and outside the district are also crowding 89 weekly markets in the district, including Badurtola in Rajapur and Lebubunia in Saturia, where betel nut worth crores of taka is being traded.

The Rajapur Upazila Agriculture Department said commercially grown betel nut gardens on 300 hectares in 54 villages of Rajapur upazila have had a bumper crop this year. Many others have also had good yields from betel nut trees planted beside their homes. The agriculture department claims this year's yield is the highest in the past 12 years. But with betel nut prices low in local markets, garden owners are frustrated.

By the local count used in the markets, each kuri (210 nuts) of betel nut is selling for Tk 220 to Tk 250. Because Rajapur's betel nut has a good reputation in the south, the larger nuts pass through wholesalers' hands and are exported abroad after meeting domestic demand.

Kismat Faraji, a betel nut garden owner from Charakhali in Rajapur, said: "This year's yield is three times that of the past few years, and the nuts are much bigger. Even though prices are low, I hope to sell more than a lakh taka worth of betel nut this year."

Rasel Bepari of the same village said: "I have a betel nut garden on 2 acres. This year the yield has been good because of the rain, and there is no pest attack. I've already sold Tk 2 lakh worth of betel nut, and there is more in the garden. The current market price is not satisfactory. Prices this year are much lower than in other years."

Hasan, who brought betel nut on a van to the Baghri market in Rajapur, said he sold a van-load of betel nut for Tk 1,000. Wholesalers buy these and sell them in markets in Dhaka, Khulna and Chattogram.

Gias Uddin, a wholesaler who came from Chattogram to buy betel nut, said: "We buy betel nut here and take it to Chattogram by truck. There, at the warehouse, we sort the nuts by size, store the big ones for export and send the rest to different parts of the country."

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