Date palm trees on the decline in Chattogram
The number of date palm trees fell to 2,270 from 3,719 in Chattogram's coastal areas in the last 10 years -- a decline of 39 percent, according to data obtained from the forest department.
The reasons behind the decline are deforestation and natural disaster, forest officials said.
Data from the coastal forest department of Chattogram showed that there were 3,719 date palm trees in 2013.
This data is only for the coastal areas of Chattogram, the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) in the district doesn't have the exact number of date palm trees in the division.
During a recent visit to the Sitakunda upazila, this correspondent found Mizanur Rahman, who was collecting juice from a tree.
He told The Daily Star that due to the decline of date palm trees, farmers who formerly relied on it for their livelihood now chose other sources of income.
"We now sell raw date palm juice at Tk 40 per litre," he added.
Nurul Aber, a date farmer of Rangunia upazila, told this newspaper that he sells around 12 to 15 litres of date palm juice daily.
"Every day I earn Tk 800 to Tk 1,000," he said.
Khaled Misbahuzzaman, professor of the Institute of Forestry and Environmental Sciences at Chittagong University, said date palm is one of the most important fruit trees grown and is a good income source for farmers.
Coconut and date palm trees also protect coastal areas from disasters like cyclones or floods.. "Therefore, it's necessary to implement an integrated garden extension programme for these tree species in coastal areas," he added.
In the 2022-23 fiscal year, the Forest Department of Chattogram collected a revenue of Tk 6 lakh by leasing date palm trees.
Abdur Rahman, divisional forest officer of Chattogram, said the importance of palm trees to protect coastal embankments and as a cash crop is immense. Besides, palm trees are also attractive, he said.
"We have sent a demand letter to the higher authorities of the Forest Department for funding to create date plantations," he added.
Akteruzzaman, deputy director of the DAE in the district, said it is possible to generate income from date juice production for 25 to 30 years after seven to eight years of planting.
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