<i>Papaya farming gains popularity in CHT</i>
Papaya trees with large size of fruits at a farm at Kiyamolong under Sadar upazila in Bandarban. Photo: Shantimoy Chakma Rangamati
Commercial farming of papaya has been gaining popularity among the indigenous farmers in Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) as it is more profitable than other crops. Some 1055 hectares of land have been brought under papaya cultivation this year only in Bandarban with a target of 30,000 metric tones, sources at Agriculture Extension Department (AED) of Bandarban said. The indigenous farmers, who are used to cultivate jhum and dependent on its crops, are now interested in papaya cultivation as it can easily be produced with small investment. Besides, it needs less fertilisers and irrigation compared to jhum crops, sources said. Papayas are largely grown at Dalupara, Kiyamolong, Golachipa under Sadar upazilas and in Rowangchhari and Ruma upazilas. Besides, papaya is also being cultivated in other areas of different upazilas in the district, AED sources said. Two varieties of papaya -- red lady and locals, are being mainly cultivated in Bandarban. But demand of the hybrid variety is very high in the local markets as those are large in size and sweetened with thick flesh. A papaya tree yields fruits in about four years. A kilogram of green papaya is being sold at Tk 10 to 12 in the local markets. A big size of ripe hybrid papaya is sold at Tk 50 to 70 while such a local variety is only Tk 20 to 30, sources said. Md Abdul Shukkur, 60, of Kiyamolong, some five kilometers off the Bandarban Sadar, told this correspondent that he has started his papaya farming in May this year. He said he spent Tk 70,000 for making the orchard while he has already sold papayas of Tk 35,000. He expects that he will earn a minimum of Tk 2 lakh from some 500 papaya trees at his farm. A papaya tree withered after three years of bearing fruits, Shukkur said. Kalya Chakma, a papaya cultivator at Golachipa, said he earned Tk 40,000 by selling papaya last year and expect more this year from 200 trees. A total of 18,141 tonnes of papayas were produced in Bandarban last year while the target of this year is 30,000 tonnes and some 8440 farmers are engaged in papaya cultivation in the district, AED sources said. Papaya cultivation on commercial basis started in 20005, sources added. Nur Mohammed, deputy director of AED, Bandarban, said they only advise the farmers about papaya cultivation and control of pest attack. He said papaya and other agricultural crops can also be grown largely here as soil fertility in the hilly lands is high.
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