Pilot programme on pearl cultivation undertaken in Gopalganj

Fisheries Department, Gopalganj has taken a programme of pearl cultivation on an experimental basis in the district recently.

According to the District Fisheries Office sources, a total of 20 pearl cultivators are involved in the programme. They started the cultivation one year back and by this time they are getting a good output from this initiative.

Local jewellers in the district are getting benefited from this pearl cultivation programme, sources said.

Md Sahahan Siraj, senior fisheries officer under Kotalipara upazila of the district, said, at first a total of six ponds in Kotalipara were brought into experimental cultivation and farmers are getting good benefit from the programme.

But many people in this region are interested in this pearl farming programme.

The upazila fisheries officer added under the project, initiative has been taken to conserve indigenous fish and snails. A total of 7,800 oysters were implanted with tissue using the image setting method.

So far 17,400 pearls have been harvested from five ponds in ten months. The wholesale price of each pearl is Tk100 to Tk1,000 depending on the quality.

These pearls will be useful in the development of the jewelry industry in various parts of the country including Gopalganj district.

Farmers can earn huge foreign currency from this pearl cultivation, the UFO said.

Bijan Kumar Nandi, district fisheries officer (DFO), Gopalganj, told the FE pearls are being farmed in a total of 20 ponds in five upazilas of the district.

Jahidul Islam (40), a pearl farmer of Shuyagram village in Kotalipara upazila of Gopalganj district, said he cultivated pearls in his pond extending over 52 decimals one year back spending Tk1,50,000 and harvesting has also been completed recently.

Muhammad Kamruzzaman, deputy commissioner (DC), Gopalganj, told the FE there is an immense possibility for pearl farming in the district.

"It is necessary to establish backward and forward linkages for pearl farming at local level. As a result, farmers will get large benefit from it. But we are always ready to provide all kinds of support to pearl cultivators," the DC added.

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