Cold, fog hit betel farming

A farmer collects betel leaves fallen off the stalks at a garden of Ujirpur village in Narail Sadar upazila, and right, betel leaves at Mostobapur village in Kaliganj upazila of Jhenidah district turn reddish as the persistent cold wave accompanied by dense fog caused massive damage to betel plantations during the ongoing winter. PHOTO: STAR/ BANGLAR CHOKH

Persistent cold wave accompanied by dense fog has badly affected betel cultivation in different areas during the ongoing winter.
A large number of betel plantations, locally known as paner baroj, in Sadar, Lohagara and Kalia upazilas of Narail are now affected with 'cold injuries', much to the worry of farmers in the district known for extensive betel cultivation, reports our Narail correspondent.
Severe cold and excessive fog cause dropping of the betel leaves and the disease spreads in the betel plantations mainly in damp weather, said Monojeet Mollik, plant protection specialist of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) in Narail.
As a remedy, he suggested the betel planters to spray 1Dithame-45 or Score medicine on the plants.
The situation will improve if there is sufficient sunlight and flow of air, he added.
During this correspondent's recent visit to different betel plantations in three upazilas, farmers said that about half of over 15,000 betel farmers in the three upazilas have left the cultivation during the last decade.
The reasons behind the farmers' apathy to the betel cultivation include unfavourable weather, pest attack, shortage of capital, dearth of seeds and absence of proper preservation and marketing.
Average cost for production of betel leaf per hectare of land is Tk 2.5 to 3.5 lakh while the yield is about five to six tonnes, several farmers said, adding that if everything goes well, one can earn a profit of over Tk one lakh from per hectare.
But widespread pest and virus attack dashed the hopes of most farmers during the last few years, they said.
"This season we have to count more losses as betel leaves are dropping due to extreme cold but no agronomist has come to visit the affected fields," said Bisnu Biswas, a betel farmer.
Sobi Hori Das, deputy director of DAE in Narail, however, said they are trying their best to suggest solutions to the farmers who face problem.
Our Gaibandha Correspondent adds: Betel production in Sundarganj upazila under the district sees a serious decline this season as leaves are turning yellowish and dropping off the stalks before attaining maturity due to attack of diseases related to cold injuries.
Upazila agriculture department, however, identified the disease as stalk rotting and betel leaf blight that generally breaks out in cold weather.
This season 50 hectares of land in Sundarganj upazila have been brought under betel leaf cultivation and farmers made over 700 betel gardens in different areas of Kanchibari, Dhopadanga, Chandipur, Santiram, Dahabandh unions, said sources at the upazila agriculture office.
"Betel plantations need much care for good yield. They need fencing and shade. Betel farming is costly but this season we will suffer serious drawback in betel production, if the weather does not improve soon," said Bhavesh Chandra, a betel grower of Kanchibari.
The betel growers are advised to adopt precautionary measure spraying pesticide and other chemicals, the situation will improve as soon the cold wave disappears, said Sottyen Kumar, upazila agriculture officer of Sundarganj.
Famous for quality betel production, Sundarganj upazila supplies the item to other areas including the capital but with serious decline in production and supply, price of betel in local markets has already shot up, said the growers.
Now betel leaf is selling for Tk 200 to 300 per hundred, locals said.
Reports of betel garden damage due to persistent cold wave have also been received from Kaliganj upazila of Jhenidah district.