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JOYPURHAT, Jan 15: Over 400 extreme poor date juice extractors, locally known as gachhies, have become self-reliant preparing tasty molasses in Joypurhat district.
The trading of date molasses is going on in full swing across the region as winter approaches its climax. The wholesalers from the area are sending the gift of winter to elsewhere in the country after meeting the local demand.
The extractors begin extracting juice with the advent of winter season using sharp objects as well as earthen pots with a view to make money to manage family expenditure.
Now, date juice collection along with processing molasses has become the key activity everywhere in the region.
During a recent visit to Halirmore area under Sadar upazila the correspondent found the date tree farmers are passing busy time collecting date juice and processing molasses with the assistance of female and adolescent members of their families.
A good number of poor farmers of Akkelpur, Khetlal, Panchbibi, Kalai and Sadar upazilas of the district are engaged with preparing date molasses this season from the very beginning of November and it will continue till March.
According to Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) office sources, more than 50,000 matured date trees have been planted with the authority concerned, both in homesteads and orchards. There are also many date trees on the roadside, railway tracks and on fallow lands.
"I generally collect the juice accumulated in the clay pot overnight and boil those in the morning to make "patali gurh" for the consumers," said farmer Anowar Hossain under Khetlal upazila. "I make over Tk 80,000 every year after paying production cost." he added.
With good nurturing, a matured date tree can give enough juice to make over 28 to 30 kg of molasses every season. During the winter season the consumers purchase each kg of quality molasses at Tk 80 to 90 from the retail market.
DAE official said the farmers of the region are able to drive away the curse of poverty by engaging themselves in the profession in the last two decades.