Bangladesh: Strawberry farming proved to be potential for growers in Barisal region

Success in Strawberry cultivation in Barisal has created enthusiasm among the local farmers to go for massive cultivation of this sweet and nutritious fruit and the prospect of strawberry cultivation has been proved as bright in the district.

Al Amin Talukdar Tutul, owner of Barisal Nursery at Baroitala under Charkawa union of Barisal Sadar upazila, successfully cultivated strawberry on 5 decimal land of his one acre nursery premises on the eastern bank of Kirtonkhola River.

Professor of the Department of Botany at Rajshahi University Manjur Hossain first launched the strawberry farming using tissue culture method, Tutul informed .

The Bangladesh Strawberry Society has undertaken a series of programmes to expand strawberry farming in the country through launching of Strawberry Nursery Research Project (SNRP).

The experts dwelt on the steps taken for expanding strawberry farming in the country and the successes achieved so far at different areas in Bangladesh.

As part of the programmes, I experimentally cultivated strawberry in my Barisal Nursery and became successful, Tutul said.

Now the experiment and research works conducted on strawberry farming found the climatic and topographic conditions and soil composition of Barisal suitable and favourable for the farming.

The people of Barisal could get strawberry saplings very easily after successful research works at the SNRPs under the leadership of Dr Manjur Hossain and I will also try to popularizing strawberry cultivation among the farmers by supplying quality seeds and saplings , the Barisal Nursery owner added.

Strawberry saplings are generally planted in comparatively high land having sunshine and dewatering facilities and can be sown in rows in November and December.

Strawberry plants start flowering within one month of plantation and fruits can be collected till March.

The research team has so far evolved three varieties of strawberry including RB-1, RB-2 and RB-3 and all of these three varieties are suitable for farming in Bangladesh. However of them, cultivation of RB-3 is more suitable, quoting Professor M Manjur Hossain, Tutul further said.

Strawberry looks like litchis in Bangladesh and it contains huge vitamins and minerals, experts said.

They said, 'Strawberry usually grows in the countries where winter prevails most of the time and our climate is not suitable for the plants.

'That's why we have developed these varieties that can be grown here.'

Tutul observed that strawberry cultivation in Bangladesh would be profitable for growers and its cultivation could help remove poverty.

He said now it is proved that the soil and climate of Barisal are suitable for large-scale strawberry cultivation and added efforts are being made in Barisal to give a new dimension to our agro-economy.

Imported strawberry is selling in the local market at prices ranging from Tk 900 to Tk 1,000 per kilogram.

A farmer can yield 2000 kg of strawberry by cultivating on one bigha of land, he said.

'If we can sell strawberry even at Tk 100 per kilogramme, it will help earn Tk 2 lakh from one bigha of land,' said Tutul.

Tutul said the country could easily achieve self-reliance in strawberry production to save foreign exchange being spent every year in importing this costly fruits.


Source: nation.ittefaq.com

Publication date: 3/4/2009