Chandpur Times Top Newspaper in Chandpur
In Chandpur, betel leaves are turning yellow due to severe winter and dense fog. The betel leaves are falling from the vine. Thousands of betel growers are facing financial loss due to this. Affected farmers have sought the help of government officials as well as agricultural officials to deal with the crisis.
Haimchar Upazila Agriculture Officer Debabrata Sarkar said the farmers were being given various suggestions to compensate them. However, the work is being hampered due to manpower crisis and lack of adequate government activities for betel growers.
Haimchar Upazila has been famous for betel cultivation for a long time. Many local farmers make their livelihood by cultivating betel. Due to the severe winter and dense fog in the current month, farmers are facing this type of crisis.
In various areas including Mahajampur and Algi Uttar of Haimchar Upazila, the exact picture can be seen.
Thousands of betel growers are facing the problem.
Fazal Ali, a betel grower in the Mahajampur area, said that betel vines do not grow in winter. Moreover, due to the increase in the intensity of winter and dense fog in the current month, the betel leaves are turning yellow and the leaves are falling.
Abu Taher, another betel grower, said, “Although we are facing losses by cultivating betel this winter, the agriculture department is not helping us with any kind of advice. Moreover, the government did not come forward to help us financially. If this continues, there will be no way but to give up betel cultivation. We want the government to stand by us.”
In this regard, Haimchar Upazila Agriculture Officer Debabrata Sarkar said, “Some Betel plants are getting wasted due winter and fog. The Department of Agriculture is giving various suggestions to reduce the loss of betel growers. However, lack of manpower crisis, it was not possible to reach all the farmers.
He further said that Haimchar Upazila has been famous for Betel cultivation for a long time. There is a great demand for it across the country. But the government has not yet taken any action for betel growers separately. To motivate the farmers in betel cultivation which is very necessary. The government is being urged to take up the project to compensate the affected farmers. I hope the government will take a quick look at this.
According to the Department of Agriculture, Betel is cultivated in a total area of 237 hectares in the district. Of these, betel is cultivated in 220 hectares of land in Haimchar Upazila. About three and a half thousand farmers of the Upazila are involved in betel cultivation.
Mahanali, Chalta Bota, and Naldog are the three varieties of betel cultivated in Haimchar. Most betel is cultivated in different areas of the Upazila including Mahjampur, Algi North, Algi South, and Charbhairabi.
Apart from Chandpur, betel produced in Haimchar is supplied to various districts of the country including Feni, Noakhali, Shariatpur, and Chattogram.
