One of the country's largest wholesale jackfruit markets has grown up around Simakhali bazaar in Shalikha upazila, Magura. Each season, jackfruit is supplied from here to 30-35 districts. This year farmers, orchard owners and traders are happy with a bumper crop and good prices.

According to the Magura district agriculture office, jackfruit has been grown on 752 hectares in the district this year. The production target is 33,794 tonnes, with an estimated market value of about Tk 67 crore.

Jackfruit trader Akram Molla told Jagonews24: "I buy jackfruit at Simakhali bazaar and send it to different districts. Trading here goes on until late at night. The business is quite profitable."

Another grower, Hashem, said: "Magura's jackfruit has very good taste and quality. The yield has been very good this year too. I am making a good profit from jackfruit. It is a profitable crop."

Md Taizul Islam, deputy director of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) in Magura, said the district's jackfruit yield had been good this year.

He told Jagonews24: "Farmers are being given regular technical support. If export opportunities can be expanded in future, jackfruit can play an important role in the country's economy."

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