As demand for sharbat to quench thirst at iftar rises in the holy month of Ramadan, demand for lemons and their price have also risen in Tangail. With the fruit out of season, supply is relatively low, and buyers allege that prices have risen abnormally as a result. In just a week, lemon prices have more than doubled.

According to the district agriculture department, Delduar upazila in Tangail is known as the lemon capital. Lemon orchards have also spread widely in Sakhipur, Mirzapur, Ghatail and Madhupur upazilas. Tangail's lemons are supplied to Dhaka and various other districts.

Lemon growers are busy ahead of Ramadan. With demand high, a maund of lemons is selling for Tk 6,000 to Tk 8,000 in the wholesale market, and a kg sells for Tk 150 to 180 at retail.

Local buyers allege that a syndicate is controlling the market, exploiting the extra demand for lemon sharbat at iftar and pushing prices up artificially.

Lemon growers say lemons need relatively little labour and cost, and disease is less of a problem. A tree bears fruit for a long time. Because profits are higher than from other crops, many farmers are turning to lemons instead of rice and other crops.

Kazi Abdul Manik, a lemon grower in Delduar upazila, said: "Demand is high in Ramadan, but this is not the main lemon season. Production is low, so prices have risen. I am now selling lemons at Tk 6,000 a maund. We are happy to be getting a good price."

Orchard workers said they tend the orchards every day from morning to afternoon.

The agriculture department said lemons were grown on 1,025 hectares in the district this year, with a production target of 12,500 tonnes.

Ashek Parvez, deputy director of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) in the district, said: "Tangail is one of the leading lemon-producing districts. The agriculture department is providing training in modern cultivation methods, free saplings and fertiliser under various projects, and all necessary support at all times."

"Improved varieties of lemon that can be grown all year round are being distributed among farmers," he added. "It is possible to profit easily from lemon farming at little cost."

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