Farmers in Joypurhat are profiting from commercial strawberry cultivation. Because it brings high returns at low cost, the area under the crop has grown this year compared with last. After meeting the district's demand, the tasty and nutritious foreign fruit is supplied to the capital and other regions.

But farmers say: "This year pests have attacked quite a lot of fields. Spraying again and again is not working." They want proper advice from the agriculture office. The district agriculture office, however, says: "Farmers are being given various help and advice."

Farmers grow strawberries on their own initiative in Jamalpur, Chanda, Kalibari and several nearby villages of Joypurhat Sadar upazila, which have become known as "strawberry villages". Because it yields in a short time and pays well, the area has grown this year. The crop has begun to come in and farmers are doing very well.

Farmers said a bigha has cost Tk 1 lakh to Tk 1.2 lakh in all this year, and the strawberries will sell for Tk 2 lakh to Tk 3 lakh. They are selling retail at Tk 300-400 a kg and wholesale at Tk 250-300. The fruit is supplied every day to the capital and other districts.

Azizul Islam, a farmer in Kalibari village of Sadar upazila, said: "Strawberries pay much more than rice, potato and other crops. Many people in this village have become self-reliant growing them. We pick strawberries from morning to midday, take them home, sort and pack them. In the afternoon traders come with trucks and buy them. They are selling wholesale at Tk 250 to 300 a kg. At the start they sold at Tk 1,200 to 1,400 a kg."

Ali Akbar, a farmer in Chanda village, said: "I have grown strawberries for about 8 years. This year I have two bighas. A bigha costs at most Tk 1.2 lakh. With a good crop it sells for Tk 3 lakh to 4 lakh. Fruit starts coming 50 days after planting, and 40 to 50 kg can be picked from a bigha every day. It pays well."

Rubel Ahmed, another farmer in Kalibari, said: "This year I have grown strawberries on three bighas. My field has been hit by mites. The mite is a kind of pest, very small and invisible to the naked eye. They are eating the leaves and ruining the plants. I am using expensive sprays from various companies but nothing works. I cannot find the right pesticide for these mites. I do not see the agriculture officer in the field. My demand to the agriculture officer is a proper treatment or pesticide for this."

Shahidul Islam, additional deputy director of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) in Joypurhat, told Jago News: "Strawberries have been grown on about 15 hectares in the district this season. Cultivation is growing because it is profitable. Strawberries are eaten straight after picking, so farmers should not use too much pesticide. We are advising them to grow organically or safely, and also training them so the fruit is safe for consumers. Advice and other help are being given so cultivation can grow further."

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