They were barren hills of the Chittagong Hill Tracts a few years back, but now they have become a big source of fruits in the country.

Pineapple, banana and papaya were grown there initially, but now there are also mango, jackfruit, litchi, watermelon and almond orchards.

Last year, over 1.2 lakh tonnes of mangoes were produced on around 9,000 hectres in Bandarban, Rangamati and Khagrachhari.

Besides, over 2.43 lakh tonnes of jackfruits, 25,000 metric ton of litchis, 45,000 metric ton of guavas and 5.20 lakh tonnes of bananas were grown in the three districts, according to the Department of Agriculture Extension.

An orchard of litchi, another summer delicacy, in Dinajpur Sadar upazila. Photo: Anurup Kanti Das/ Star

Most of the fruit orchards in the CHT are now being operated commercially like those in the country's plains.

However, some farmers complained that despite a good harvest this year, they could not make a good profit due to shortage of cold storage and poor road communications with the district headquarters.

Rialdo Bawm of Munlaipara under Ruma upazila of Bandarban grew 

mango, jackfruit, litchi and almond on five hectors this year. He feared that he won't have enough profit.

"There is no cold storage and fruit processing centre in our locality. Had we had them, we would have made a good profit," he said on Monday.

"I am expecting profits of Tk 40,000 and Tk 1,50,000 from the sales of almonds and mangoes. The profits would have increased by three times if there were cold storages and fruit processing centres in the district," added Rialdo.

Zawn Thang Karbari of Farukpara and Lal Nun Nuam Bawm of Monglaipara in Ruma made similar claims. They blamed poor road networks and inadequate marketing facilities for their limited profit from fruit farming.

Ruma upazila is just four kilometres from Bandarban town.

"We've a good harvest this year. But we couldn't market our produce in time due to poor communications," said Zawn Thang Karbari.

Omar Faruk, agriculture officer in Bandarban, admitted that growers in the hills were not making enough profit from fruit farming due to the problems.