Betel leaf growers in south left in peril
Production of betel leaf in southern districts slid to almost one third in the last few years mainly because of a lack of government support, marketing facilities and bank loans, increased prices of agro inputs and unfavourable weather.
The prices of betel leaf, also an export item, increased four to five times in the last two years compared to years earlier, farmers and traders said.
Eleven upazilas under Barisal, Barguna, Jhalakathi and Pirojpur districts are famous for producing good varieties of betel leaf, most of which are exported to Europe, North and South America and the Middle East.
The upazilas are Bakerganj, Uzirpur, Gournadi, Agailjhara, Kathalia, Bamna, Betagi, Vandaria, Kawkhali, Razapur, and Mathbaria.
A farmer in the region is Sri Dhor whose small piece of land is now lying vacant except for a few invading weeds. He stares blankly at the trellis made of bamboo strips, which should have been entwined with betel leaf vines.
Sri Dhor's 25-year-old betel leaf garden on eight decimals of land at Kalaskati village in Bakerganj upazila under Barisal district used to earn him Tk 2,000 per month.
But the garden, his only source of income, was destroyed by the cyclone Sidr in 2007. The fragile plants rotted and died.
"I protected my garden with dikes during the 1998 flood. But this time I did not bother as it is a lot of hard works and I am too old now," said a hapless Dhor.
Barun Mistry of the same village also fought a battle to save his 33-year-old betel garden from the Sidr.
The fight cost him around Tk 25,000, which he spent on making a dike around his garden and hiring people to guard it round the clock.
Shamol Chandro Howladar, who also lost a similar betel leaf garden during the Sidr, has now decided to leave his age-old family occupation.
"I am now sick and tired and have no patience left," said a frustrated Howladar.
Kala Chandro Mistry, another victim in the area, faced the similar onslaught.
They are among around two thousand betel leaf growers in Bakerganj upazila whose farms were destroyed by the cyclone.
The betel leaf business is now facing a setback as supplies to wholesale markets in the region came down to one third in the last two years compared to the years earlier, said traders.
The traders depicted a frustrating picture as this correspondent visited a few markets in the region recently. The total daily sale in these wholesale markets has come down around 5,000 kuris (1 kuri= 5,000 pieces of betel leaf) from around 1,500 kuris earlier.
Prices have increased up to Tk 2,000 per kuri from Tk 800, depending on the variety, traders said.
Some of the wholesalers said they even gave money in advance to the growers but failed to get supplies. The prices of bamboo, jute sticks, straws, natural and agro-manure like oil cake, which are needed for betel leaf cultivation, increased sharply, they said.
A quality bamboo sells at Tk 180 to Tk 220. Straws and jute sticks are not available in many areas.
The growers said adverse weather conditions like excessive cold, fog and drought affect production. Long-lasting fog during winter this year affected the crop badly, they said.
The Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) in a survey in 1988 in 20 betel leaf growing districts found that three varieties of betel leaf -- Mitha (sweet), Saji or Sanchi and Gachh-- are grown in the southern region.
Among the varieties, Mitha is the best and most popular and is cultivated mainly in southern districts.
Being an export item, betel leaf cultivation never got any government support. Even the DAE has no arrangement to help and advise the farmers.
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