Bangladesh banana growers reaping benefits from bagging
During his three-year stay in China, as part of his PhD study, Sorof Uddin observed a bagging method to produce safe fruit. From 2015, after his return to Bangladesh, Sorof worked to popularise the idea among mango growers. He also had an eye on the banana industry. Sorof hoped to find banana-growers willing to give the new system a try.
While bagging costs farmers extra, they can make their investment back due to increased quality and reduced use of pesticides. Using this method, Sujammel, a banana grower earned Tk 70 per kg for his first harvest from February 2017 with profit totaling Tk 3 lakh from his two-acre orchard. Next season, with the new system fully implemented, he anticipates an equal profit per acre.
The bags offer an even greater benefit to growers: the opportunity for export. “We are talking with a buyer from Malaysia,” says Sorof. “If all goes well, Sujammel's bananas are destined for export this season.”
1 Tk = 0.012 USD
source: thedailystar.net
