Jujube cultivation brings huge profits to Gopalganj farmers

Jujube (Ziziphus zizyphus) cultivation in Gopalganj's Sadar and Muksudpur upazilas has been bringing huge profits to farmers in recent years.

Sheikh Sadi, 22, a young farmer of Char-tala village under Shuktail Union of Sadar Upazila, said he cultivated the fruit on 52 decimals of land this year and expects to get Tk 144,000 in earnings for about 60 maunds. With per maund of jujube selling at Tk 2,400, he made a profit of Tk 104,000 as he spent Tk 40,000 as the cultivation cost.

Jujube trees bear fruit every nine months for five to six years, which makes it profitable compared to other crops, the farmer said.

Mafroza Akter, upazila agriculture officer, Gopalganj Sadar, told the FE that jujube farming has been creating new hopes among the local farmers and they have been getting a high price from its sale to local markets. In total, 12 hectares of land have been brought under jujube cultivation in Gopalganj Sadar Upazila with a production target of 36 tonnes and the fruit has a huge demand in the local market, she also said.

A total of nine hectares of land in 179 gardens have been brought under jujube cultivation in the district, according to Department of Agriculture Extension, Gopalganj. In Muksudpur Upazila, the production target is at 31 hectares. The production target under five upazilas of the district is at 270 tonnes, where 2,200 growers are involved in the farming, DAE sources said.

Saimul Haque (50) cultivated jujube with four others at Kadampur village under Gopalganj's Gobindopur Union on 12.50 hectares of land this year. Spending Tk 2.4 million per year, they are harvesting about 3,300 maunds of jujube, which has a market price of Tk 7.92 million.

Some farmers said they too have been involved with jujube cultivation on 12.50 hectares of land and have been earning Tk 5.4-5.5 million in profit. They also said many of their neighbours had started jujube cultivation after being inspired from them and have been taking their advice in this regard.

Jujube farming has been expanding by the day due to its comparative benefit, according to Pitish Das, sub-assistant agriculture officer (SAAO) of Gobindopur, Muksudpur Upazila.

Dr. Md Mamunur Rahman, deputy director, agriculture, Gopalganj, told the FE that soil, climate and topographic condition are suitable for jujube cultivation in Gopalganj. He added that one-third of jujube cultivation in the district takes place in Muksudpur Upazila.

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