A little support can give a big boost

Nobody knows when orange cultivation started in Moulvibazar. But there has been no effort by any government to help increase the output while smuggled orange floods the country's markets every year. Picture shows (from left) an orange plant in a garden raised in an unscientific way and farmers with the harvest . Growers say the yield can be increased at least five times if scientific method is applied and government provides some infrastructure facilities. PHOTO: STAR

They have identity cards as 'orange grower'. The district administration has given identity cards to all orange growers in Goalbari union in Kulaura upazila.

Earlier, BDR and police used to take them to custody, saying they smuggled orange from across the border.

Tap here to add The Daily Star as a trusted source

"I was arrested six times in the past while marketing orange grown in my garden", young Abdul Jalil told this correspondent during a recent visit.

"They (BDR) physically tortured me falsely branding me an orange smuggler.

"Harassment by BDR and police was a great problem for orange growers... Now they are happy", a smiling Jalil said. All the orange growers are earning good amounts.

But Nurul of Kachurgool village said some dishonest BDR and police men still disturb them, saying the identity cards are faulty. They demand money on this plea.

All the villagers in Shukra Chhera, Hawachhera, Rupachhera, Lal Chhera, Jori Chhera, Lathitila, North Kachurgool, East Kachurgod, West Kachurgool, Domabari, Penagool, Vander Gool, North Kuchaithol and Cheragi under Goalbari union in Moulvibazar district cultivate the popular winter fruit in large scales. Villagers in Shahbajpur and Niz-bahadurpur areas in Baralekha upazila of the district also cultivate the attractive winter fruit.

Almost every family has orange gardens, having 100 to 500 plants each. Each plant produces 300 to 1500 oranges if the weather is favourable, they said.

Hilly Goalbari, the main orange producing area in the district, is adjacent to the Indian border, 58 kilomitres from Moulvibazar district town.

They said at least one crore pieces of orange are grown in over 50 small and large gardens in the 15 hilly villages in the area.

The area has great potential. The yield can be increased at least five times with a little care, planning and government patronisation.

The number of plants in gardens is much less than the optimum. The owners grow plants in a scattered way due to lack of knowledge.

They know nothing about scientific method of orange cultivation as there was no motivation. None of garden owners even took any initiative in the past to increase the yield as they knew they would be branded as smugglers and harassed while marketing their produce.

A story on orange growers of Moulvibarar was published in The Daily Star last year. After that the Department of Agriculture Extension (AED) took up a project to promote orange and pineapple farming. Distribution of identity cards among growers in Goalbari is the first step by the government, officials said.

Rahim Miah of Sheknachhera village said locally produced orange is now selling at between Tk 200 and 500 per 100 pieces at the nearest wholesale market at Juri bazaar. The price depends on size.

Their main hurdle is transportation problem. Orange is carried manually from remote gardens to the market because there is no road. Abdul Jalil said carrying 1200 oranges from garden to Juri bazaar costs Tk 275.

It was a great surprise to this correspondent when he came to know that the Moulvibazar district AED office has no "complete information" on how much land is now under orange cultivation and the number of gardens. The official in charge of the Orange and Pineapple Farming Development Project was not available as he went to Comilla for "official purpose". A staff there said, the office is collecting data on orange cultivation in the district.

He however said prospect of commercial cultivation of orange is very bright in Moulibazar.

Vast hillocks including government lands suitable for large orange gardens are fallow.