Mint (pudina) has been grown commercially in Sitakunda, Chattogram, for the month of Ramadan. About 500 farmers in the upazila have grown the fragrant herb on 20 hectares, and they hope for trade worth Tk 50 lakh.

Mint is grown in Bhatiari, Salimpur, Kumira, Sonaichhari and other places in the upazila, but most is grown at the foot of the hills in Khadem Para, Jahanabad area of Bhatiari union, where the medicinal herb covers 10 hectares alone. For the people of Chattogram, iftar in Ramadan hardly seems complete without a little mint.

Md Shafi, a farmer in Jahanabad Khadem Para of Bhatiari union, has grown mint commercially on 40 decimals this season for Ramadan. He said he has profited a lot by growing mint on the advice of the agriculture office. His total cost is about Tk 1 lakh, and if market prices stay good and conditions favourable, he hopes to sell more than Tk 2 lakh worth.

He said at least 70 farmers in the area, including Md Shah Alam, Md Selim and Shahjahan, have grown mint to a greater or lesser extent.

Shirin Akter, the sub-assistant agriculture officer in charge of the block, said farmers in Sitakunda have grown the medicinal mint at the foot of the hills. Every year at this time in Ramadan they profit greatly by selling mint wholesale, and this time they have grown more than before, hoping for bigger profits.

She said mint has been grown commercially on at least 10 hectares in Bhatiari alone. Farming families in the area grow mint especially with Ramadan in mind every year, and farmers are being advised in various ways to increase production.

Upazila agriculture officer Md Habibullah said 500 farmers have grown mint on 20 hectares in the upazila. Mint is grown here all year round, but most is grown for Ramadan. After meeting local demand, wholesalers take it to various districts and upazilas of the country. Farming families are profiting financially from mint, and it is creating plenty of employment, he said.

Farmers are earning lakhs of taka a year, the official said. Some 85 tonnes of mint have been produced so far, with a market value of more than half a crore taka, he said.

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