The country's largest traditional date Jaggery market has gain the peak attraction in Sarojganj market of Sadar Upazila of Chuadanga. If one enters a little inside from Sarojganj market, he will see Jaggery stalls arranged in rows in a wide area. Along with this, the actions of buyers, sellers and workers will be visible to everyone. Like every year, the country's largest traditional date molasses and Jaggery market has gathered in Sarojganj. Merchants are coming from different districts to buy Jaggery. This Haat is open two days a week, Friday and Monday. This market has a two-hundred-year tradition of selling Jaggery and molasses made from the juice collected from palm trees.
This hut is located on the local Sarojganj High School grounds near the Chuadanga-Jhenaidah Regional Highway in Sarojganj, Qutubpur Union of Sadar Upazila of Chuadanga District. Do not live from morning to evening. Jaggery worth several crores of rupees is traded every week.
The price varies depending on the size and weight of the clay pot. Depending on the quality, a bag of Jaggery is being sold from Tk 1,700 to Tk 2,200. Jaggery here is incomparable in taste and aroma. Compared to other bars, the demand for date molasses here is high, so the price has also increased a little.
Going to the market, it was seen on the surface, clay pots filled with date palm molasses and small wooden pallets were arranged all over the area. Buyers and sellers stand and watch it. If the price is right, the truck is loaded by weighing. Others are buying on demand to send to their home or a relative's home. Farmers sit on both sides of the entrance of the market and sell their home-made Jaggery. As one passes the Patali shop and go inside, he can see rows of Jaggery stalls across the vast area. Along with the action of buyers and sellers and workers. Jaggery is measured on the scales at several places in the market and the molasses is arranged in the trucks that are driven in the market. The sale will continue till next Chaitra month.
Locals said that every year in the winter season, the largest number of date molasses is sold in this market. Jaggery here is incomparable in taste and aroma. This hut is crowded with thousands of buyers and sellers almost throughout the season. This is what local wholesalers, moneylenders and traders from different places claim.
Traders come to Sarojganj market to buy Jaggery from different parts of the country. Liaquat Ali came from Dhaka to buy Jaggery. He said that Jaggery is available at a lower price than here in other markets of the country. However, because sugar is added to those Jaggery, no real traders buy it. Even knowing the high price, traders rush to this market in Chuadanga's Sarojganj to buy good Jaggery. A jar of Jaggery weighing 12 to 14 kg is being sold at Tk 1,500 to Tk 2,200. It is selling from 150 to 200 taka per kg. Here we can buy Jaggery safely. Ali Him, buyer of molasses in Belgachi village of Chuadanga Sadar Upazila, said that we have been buying molasses from this Sarojganj market for many days and sending it to different parts of the country. Especially we export to Dhaka, Chittagong, Rajshahi, Khulna, Panchagarh, Dinajpur, Faridpur, Teker Hat and abroad. But this time Jaggery market is good. He also said that currently the trees are disappearing because many of the old trees have died. Young men are not becoming new trees. Therefore, in the case that the trees have decreased, Jaggery has started coming in the market less. From this market, 20 to 25 trucks are loaded in each Haat and go to different regions.
Gachi Kadimul Islam of Navinnagar village of Chuadanga Sadar Upazila who came to sell Jaggery at Sarojganj Jaggery market said, I collect the juice of about 40 trees. I have been bringing Jaggery to this market for almost 20 years. Traders from different parts of the country buy Jaggery from us. However, Jaggery prices have increased. Due to this, there is less profit now.
Khyber Ali, the leader of Sarojganj Jaggery market workers, said, "We do the work of pulling Jaggery for traders and load Jaggery on trucks." Sarojganj market earns about 700-800 rupees per haat. By doing this, the family is doing well.
Ali Ahmed Hasanuzzaman, the president of the largest traditional date molasses market committee, said that every year in Sarojganj market, the largest number of date molasses is sold in Sarojganj market in the winter season. Jaggery here is incomparable in taste and aroma. This hut is crowded with thousands of buyers and sellers almost throughout the season. Security is provided to local wholesalers, moneylenders and traders from different places.
According to the information of the Chuadanga District Agriculture Extension Department, farmers are collecting juice from 16 thousand new palm trees in 4 Upazilas of the district in the current season compared to last season. In this season, farmers are extracting (collecting) juice from 248,000 palm trees in the district. Almost half of which is in Chuadanga Sadar Upazila. Jaggery season lasts from November to March. An average of two and a half thousand metric tons of Jaggery will be produced in this season.
Bivas Chandra Saha, Deputy Director of Chuadanga District Agriculture Extension Department, said there are a total of 248,960 palm trees in Chuadanga district. Among them there are 93 thousand 450 palm trees in Chuadanga Sadar Upazila, 83 thousand 700 in Damurhuda Upazila, 36 thousand 500 in Jibannagar Upazila and 35 thousand 310 in Alamdanga Upazila. These trees are expected to produce 2,500 metric tons of Jaggery this year.