Farmers of Lalmonirhat district are happy with good pineapple yield. They dream of changing their fortunes by pineapple farming. The pineapples of this district are popular almost all over the country because of their taste, aroma and size.
Farmers of Lalmonirhat are more inclined towards pineapple cultivation due to favorable climate, demand and good yield as well as low cost and high profit. Apart from pineapple, they are making extra profit on other crops on the same land.
According to the farmers, to get good yield, the land should be cleared and leveled so that the rain water does not accumulate in any place. Organic fertilizers should be applied as much as possible in the pineapple cultivation land. Fertilizers are applied according to the soil type after testing the soil. According to the farmers, pineapples are propagated through different types of saplings by breaking the cuttings from the pineapple tree. Different types of seedlings include lateral seedlings, leaf seedlings, crown seedlings and cluster seedlings etc. Among these side crops are best for commercial cultivation.
Nurul Hasan of Phulgach area said, I grow various vegetables and fruits. This year also I have prepared about 5 bigha of land for vegetable cultivation. Among these, I have planted some pineapple seedlings brought from Tangail Madhupur in 2-3 bigha land. I am thinking of planting saplings in the rest of the land. The soil of Lalmonirhat district is fairly suitable for pineapple cultivation. So if the weather is favourable, we are expecting a bumper crop. If the yield is bumper, I will also benefit financially, God willing.
He also said that if the pineapple seedlings are a little big, there is a possibility of insect attack. If it is not possible to control the insect using self-produced organic insecticides, pineapple seedlings can be protected from insect attack with the advice of the local agricultural extension department.
Pineapple farmerAbdul Hamid Miya said that he cultivated pineapple on three acres of land. 20 thousand pineapple seedlings are planted per acre. It costs one lakh Tk per acre.
This time due to good yield and large size, wholesalers are buying each piece at 35 to 40 taka. As a result, one and a half to two lakh rupees per acre can be earned in this season. In addition, he expects to get 2 pineapples next year if only 1 pineapple per tree is available in the new gardens this year.
Pineapple farmer Hazrat Ali said that pineapple seedlings should be planted before winter. After one year the pineapples started to yield and after one and a half years all the pineapples in the garden were sold. Additional income can be obtained by growing other crops besides pineapple on the same land. For this reason, regular application of urea, potash, TSP, gypsum and organic fertilizers in the pineapple garden does not require much maintenance. In case of occasional attack of rot disease, solution is available on the advice of the Sub-Assistant Agricultural Officer.
Lalmonirhat Assistant Agricultural Extension Officer Rezaul Karim Sarkar said that pineapple cultivation does not require additional land. Pineapple farmers are being encouraged as part of a plan to bring fallow land under cultivation. As the market price of pineapple is higher than the cost of production, there is increasing interest in pineapple cultivation among the farmers of the district. The cultivation of these pineapples is being encouraged by training the farmers organized by the Agriculture Office.