The betel leaf growers of Kushtia district are upset as exports have been stopped for a long time and they have not been able to get good prices in the local market. In addition, there has been an outbreak of bacterial rot in betel leaves. As a result, the betel leaf growers of Kushtia have lost their way. Many people are breaking the betel cage. As a result, betel cultivation has started declining day by day.
It is learned that in February 2014, the EU imposed a temporary ban on the export of betel from Bangladesh due to the presence of harmful Salmonella bacteria in betel. Gradually, the ban was extended to 2020.
The EU then imposes certain conditions on betel leaf exports. Notable conditions are that the betel must be free of Salmonella bacteria, good agricultural practice (GAP) from production to shipment (GAP), Good Hygiene Practices (GEPP), Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) must be followed. Will be But due to the outbreak pandemic, the export of betel is still stopped.
The Kushtia-Jhenaidah regional highway is divided into different parts of the week. The largest market in Kushtia Sadar Upazila is at Bittipara Bazar on Sundays and Thursdays. Apart from Kushtia, farmers from other districts including Chuadanga and Jhenaidah also come and tied betel leaves and arranged trade bags in these markets.
Even two years ago, traders from far and wide of the country used to go to the market and give money to the farmers as a betel leaf (one piece per 80 pieces). But since the outbreak of corona in the country, Bangladesh's betel market in the Middle East and Europe has been shut down. Similarly, due to the corona, the demand for betel in the country has been declining at a huge rate.
Asmat Ali, a betel leaf grower in Juniadah area of Bheramara, said the price of betel in the market is constantly declining. Earlier, a betel leaf bundle was sold at Tk. 150 to Tk. 200 depending on the type, but now it has gone down to Tk. 50 to Tk. 70-80. The cost of production is increasing every year due to the increase in the price of betel cultivation equipment.
In this situation, I can't even raise the production cost, let alone profit. Extremely frustrated by the ongoing losses, many betel growers are breaking long-standing drinking waste. Betel growers say that if betel can be exported abroad as before, they may see a profit again.
According to the District Agriculture Extension Department, betel cultivation in the district has declined this year as compared to last year. In the financial year 2020-21, betel was cultivated in 2,095 hectares of land in the district. And this year betel has been cultivated in 2,054 hectares of land in the district.
Betel is cultivated more or less in all the six upazilas of Kushtia. However, the highest production of betel is in Bheramara upazila. Next in Sadar upazila. This time betel has been planted in 718 hectares of land in Bheramara Upazila and 605 hectares of land in Sadar Upazila.
Sushant Kumar Pramanik, deputy director of the Kushtia Agricultural Extension Department, admitted that the price of betel in the Kushtia market is a bit lower at present. He said, "There is a huge demand for Kushtia district betel leaf in the whole country including the capital Dhaka and Chattogram due to the good quality." The raw goods market fluctuates constantly. That is why we should not be disappointed. '
He demanded that betel leaf cultivation be profitable and urged the farmers not to be discouraged.