The Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) is projecting a papaya trade turnover of around Tk 400 crore (US$34 million) this season, supported by expanded cultivation in the Madhupur upazila of Tangail district.
Madhupur, widely known as the capital of pineapple, has also seen a steady rise in papaya production this year. Because many areas in the upazila are relatively elevated, farmers have shown increasing interest in cultivating papaya after pineapple.
Local growers report that commercial papaya cultivation has become a profitable option. They note that the crop can be cultivated both at homesteads and on main cropland, which has led to rising interest in papaya farming to meet both nutritional and market demand.
Papaya produced in Madhupur is being distributed to several districts across Bangladesh, including Dhaka. According to the Madhupur Upazila Agricultural Extension Department, papaya was planted on 1,056 hectares of land this year, with an estimated yield of 35,000 to 40,000 metric tons. The current market value of this production is assessed at Tk 400 crore (US$34 million).
Agricultural officials noted that high-yielding varieties of papaya are readily available, leading to shorter cultivation cycles, lower production costs, and increased returns for growers. They pointed out that papaya, once primarily grown in household courtyards, is now being cultivated on a commercial scale. The officials added that more agricultural entrepreneurs are entering papaya production as the crop's profitability attracts wider interest, with the DAE continuing to provide technical advice and assistance to support commercial expansion.
Source: BSS News
