Criminals fell 300 karalla plants in Jhalakathi

Criminals cut around 300 karalla (balsam apple) plants at a farm of Charkeota in Rajapur upazila under the district on Monday night.

"I was shocked to see my ravaged karalla garden today [Tuesday] morning. I informed other farmers and the local agriculture office," said Nizam Khan, who raised the garden on a half-acre land.

"After leasing the land for Tk 10,000 last year, I with my wife grew karalla plants there and earned a profit of Tk 70 thousand," said Nizam, a landless farmer.

"We planted 400 karalla plants three months ago and the plants started yielding recently. I have already sold karalla worth Tk 15,000 from the farm this week. I expected to make a profit of Tk 1.5 lakh by selling the vegetable this season as it has good demand in the market but the miscreants dashed all my hopes.

"Usually I guard my farm every night but on Monday night I was busy at the house. Seeing my success, many other farmers were encouraged to do similar farming but now they are worried too," said Nizam.

Terming such incident as a threat for innovative agriculture, Rajapur Upazila Agriculture Officer Md Riaz Ullah Bahadur said they will extend possible help to the farmer to recoup the loss.