M.Muslim Chowdhury, Srimangal/Moulvibazar/Representative/

After Srimangal tea of Moulvibazar, pineapple is famous all over the country. By meeting the demand of the district, pineapples reach different parts of the country more or less throughout the year. And this time the bumper yield of the pineapple, which is famous in the country, has been reported by the Farmers and Agriculture Department. In the country, mainly in Sylhet, Moulvibazar, Tangail, Chittagong and Chittagong Hill Tracts, pineapple is cultivated on a large scale. Pineapples produced in Srimangal are famous in the country. Srimangal pineapples are in demand all over the country for their juicy taste.

According to the Upazila Agriculture Office, pineapple cultivation started in the hilly hills from the 60s. The warm and humid climate here is very suitable for pineapple cultivation. About 310 hectares of land in the hilly areas of Mohajerabad, Bishamani, Hossainabad, Balishira, Doluchra, Satgaon, Nandrani and Maizdi have been cultivated in the upazila.
Billal Mia, the owner of the pineapple garden in Bishamani area of the upazila, said that this time, he has picked the pineapples and sold them a little earlier because of the good yield. Due to various difficulties, pineapple cultivation is decreasing day by day. Farmers are now more inclined towards lemon cultivation instead of pineapples. As the soil, weather and climate of Srimangal are particularly suitable for pineapple cultivation, a lot of pineapples are cultivated here in the hilly hills. Begunbari pineapple plantation owner Iresh Pal said that due to early rains, the yield of pineapples has been very good this time. We the farmers are very happy as the pineapple yield is good after getting rain water.
Pineapple farmers complained that due to the lack of storage system for pineapples, when the perishable fruit starts to ripen together, the farmers have to sell the fruit at a nominal price. Also many pineapples rot. It is necessary to set up a cold store in Srimangal for the preservation of pineapples. Decrease in land availability, increase in cost of fertilizers and fodder, increase in wages of laborers – all in all, the production cost of pineapple has increased more than in other years. Yet they are trying to maintain the traditional pineapple plantations of Srimangal.

Srimangal Upazila Agriculture Extension Officer Ujjal Sutradhar said that the cultivation of two types of pineapple, Honey Queen and Giant Q, has increased in Srimangal this year on 310 hectares of land. We have set the production target. He also said that various types of support and training have been given to the farmers by the Agriculture Office to increase the production of pineapple. Also many farmers have complained to us that they are suffering due to pineapple rot. It is necessary to set up a cold store in Srimangal for the preservation of pineapples. We have told the farmers that Srimangal Upazila Directorate of Agriculture has sent a letter to the ministry to set up a cold store in Srimangal.