Good price makes molasses farmers happy
Farmers in different upazilas of Jhenidah are earning a good profit as selling of molasses, produced from date juice, on peak this winter.
Sale of molasses starts in November and continues till the middle of March, both farmers said, adding that they earn some additional profit in every winter as it their peak season and the item has demand all the year round.
After meeting personal demand most of the farmers sell the rest molasses to the buyers at local markets and earn extra money.
Traders said molasses, produced in six upazilas of the district, are being sold to wholesalers at different markets in Dhaka, Chattogram, Sylhet and many other districts across the country.
According to Jhenidah Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE), there are around 4,32,000 date trees all the upazilas of the district.
The district produces around 1,000 tonnes of molasses every year, and each kilogram of the item costs Tk 200 to Tk 250.
The number of date trees is declining every year as timber traders and brick kiln owners are alluring the farmers to sell their date trees.
Abdur Rahman of Raghunathpur in Kaliganj upazila said he has 70 date trees. He sold molasses worth Tk 70,000 last year and expects to earn more this year.
Dr Md Ashrafuzzaman Jahid, associate professor of Department of Nutrition and Food Technology at Jashore University of Science and Technology, said molasses contains small amount of B vitamins and minerals like calcium, zinc and phosphorus.
Deputy Director (DD) at Jhenidah DAE Asgar Ali said although many farmers, lured by the timber traders, sold their date a few years back, they managed to convince them not to sell the trees.
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