The traditional floating guava market at Atghar Kuriana in Nesarabad, Pirojpur, known as the "Venice" of Bengal, is in full swing. The boat-based market is not only the heart of the local economy but is now also known as a unique attraction for tourists from home and abroad. Guava is grown on 710 hectares in Pirojpur district, producing 7,210 tonnes, and more than Tk 20 crore of guava is bought and sold at the floating market each season.

As the sun rises, farmers from Atghar Kuriana, Adamkathi, Jindakathi and several other villages in the upazila bring guavas in small boats along the canals to the depots. Because the guavas here are large and tasty, there is strong demand in Dhaka, Chattogram, Khulna and other regions. A few years ago guava growers did not get fair prices, but since the Padma Bridge opened, the guavas have gone to Dhaka and several other large cities, creating strong demand for Nesarabad's guava.

Wholesalers buy guava from farmers and quickly send it by truck to Dhaka, Chattogram, Cumilla and several other cities, so farmers are getting the right price for their produce. The guava also goes by water to several nearby districts and upazilas, including Jhalakathi, Barishal, Banaripara and Patuakhali.

Every guava season, an economy worth crores of taka thrives on small dinghies. The floating market is not only about trade: during the season, visitors from home and abroad come to enjoy its beauty and the whole area turns festive. Parks and entertainment centres have sprung up around the market, and tourists take boats and trawlers to enjoy the guava orchards. This has boosted the local economy and created jobs for unemployed local young people. But tourists say more attention is needed to visitor safety, good-quality guest houses, restaurants and other problems, and they believe proper oversight by the upazila administration could improve the tourist spot further.

At the market, farmers can be seen coming from the canals of Atghar Kuriana in small dinghies laden with guavas. One by one the boats pull up to the bank and haggle with wholesalers. Once a price is agreed, the guavas are lifted up in plastic trays. After selling, the farmers head home again by dinghy, some busy buying goods for their families with the money.

Hotels and restaurants have grown up around the market. At Bhimruli, the most popular is an eatery called Bhabir Hotel, where travellers from around the country try a range of dishes. Mustard hilsa, hilsa bharta, prawn bhuna and duck curry are among visitors' favourites. As the day goes on the market grows more beautiful, and perhaps that is why travellers crowd to see the floating guava market at Atghar Kuriana every year.

Local farmers and traders want a guava jelly factory and cold storage built to strengthen the market, which they say would maintain guava quality and help growers get fair prices.

Local growers and traders say hundreds of maunds of guava leave the market every day for markets across the country, including Dhaka, Chattogram, Khulna and Barishal. A maund of guava is selling for Tk 600 to Tk 800.

Nazrul Islam came before sunrise from Kachua in neighbouring Bagerhat district to buy guava at Atghar Kuriana. "I have come from Kachua thana in Bagerhat to buy guava here and sell it in the market. This guava does not grow anywhere else in Bangladesh. I will buy guava here and take it to Bagerhat to sell," he said.

Local guava trader Mostafa Howlader said: "Guava from here goes to different parts of the country, to Chattogram, Dhaka, Cumilla and many other places. There is a bit less guava this year because of bad weather, but the price is good. A maund of guava is selling for Tk 600 to 800. People across the country like our guava because it is very sweet."

Guava grower Anupam Halder said: "I grow guava on ten bighas. Every year I sell guava for good money, but this year there is a bit less. After the Fajr call to prayer I go to the orchard and start picking. Picking takes a long time. When it is done, I bring the guavas by boat to sell. If the government built us a cold storage and a jelly factory, we would get better prices."

Shahriar Kinjal, a fourth-year economics student at Pirojpur Government Suhrawardy College, came from Pirojpur to see the floating market. "I come to see the floating guava market every season. I love seeing it. What can I say, it lifts your heart just to look at it. When they bring the guavas through the canals in small boats, it is wonderful. You cannot see beauty like this anywhere else. But if the local administration looked into adequate security, guest houses, restaurants and other things with tourists in mind, there would be many more tourists," he said.

Nesarabad upazila nirbahi officer Amit Dutta said: "We have issued a notice about the floating guava market in Nesarabad upazila, telling tourists, local people and everyone else what they should do."

"We have made a plan for tourism across the upazila and how to make this tourist spot more attractive. There is a tourism management committee, and we are considering how it can ensure accommodation, food and overall security for tourists. We are also planning how to attract foreign tourists," he said.

Soumitra Sarkar, deputy director (Khamarbari) of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) in Pirojpur, said: "Nesarabad grows the most guava in Pirojpur district. Guava is grown on 710 hectares in the district, producing 7,210 tonnes, and more than Tk 20 crore of guava is bought and sold at this floating market each season. If a mini cold storage were built here for farmers, guava could be stored and farmers would get a fair market price. The agriculture office is also giving growers all kinds of advice on increasing guava production."

If the floating guava market is developed further as a tourist spot, it will open new possibilities for both agriculture and tourism, and this traditional farm market, known as the "Venice" of Bengal, will gain international recognition.

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