District Agriculture Extension Department (DAED) is expecting farmers to be selling 2,500 metric tons of date molasses at Tk 37,50,00,000 this season.
It is learnt, since the beginning of the winter this year, extractors have been busy collecting juice and making molasses. Satisfying the demand of the local market, these molasses are going to different parts of the country and abroad.
Meanwhile, the demand for date juice, molasses and Jaggery increases every year, but the trees are not planting and growing according to the demand.
Still, at the end of this season, the agriculture department hopes to produce 2,500 metric tons of molasses from 2,66,410 date trees.
Some farmers said, date trees are being cut and burnt in brick kilns. Due to this every year Jaggery production is decreasing in the district.
Date juice is more in demand at evening. When winter comes, the value of trees increases compared to any previous season. When the extractors collect the juice and burn it in a special container in the morning, the air around the village is filled with the scent, sources said.
Chhot Buro Joarder, a producer of date Jaggery of Budimanpara in Sadar Upazila of Chuadanga district said, "A pot of earthen juice is burnt and about one kg of Jaggery is made. Jaggery is being sold at Tk 150 to Tk 180 per kg according to quality. Jaggery is being sold at Tk 200-250 per kg.
Azizur Rahman Mollik, an extractor of village Boalia in sadar upazila of the district said, "Many extractors in the village are busy making date juice and molasses from beginning of the winter. A large sum of money is earned by selling the molasses and Jaggery made by burning the juice.
Ful Mia, a date molasses businessman at Sarajgonj Bazaar in Sadar Upazila said, Sarojganj Haat in Sadar Upazila is the biggest date molasses market of Chuadanga district and surrounding districts. About 150 tons of date molasses and Jaggery are sold at each haat.
Goutom Saha, another molasses trader in district town said, traders of Dhaka, Chittagong, Sylhet and Barisal come here to buy molasses." Besides, the seasonal traders of the area buy Jaggery and send it to different places all over the country.
Bevas Chandra Saha, Deputy Director of the Department of Agricultural Extension said, "The date molasses here is very sweet to taste. Traders have been selling molasses to different markets of other districts in the country after buying it from different local markets.
He also stated, In order to maintain the quality of molasses, the Department of Agriculture is regularly monitoring the juice collection to keep these date trees free from infection.