Cold spell hinders growth of jujube

Nearly 1,000 growers of jujube, a fruit known locally as boroi, are very disappointed as the normal growth of the fruit is badly hampered this season due to prolonged cold spell and thick fog. 

This year, the growers have invested more money compared to the previous years as they got expected profit from selling their produce last year.

Jujube grower Rafiqul Islam, 46, of Uttar Saptana village in Sadar upazila said he is uncertain whether he will be able to get his investment back from selling his jujube as normal growth of the fruit is badly hampered due to cold and dense fog.

“At present, each of the jujubes is weighing around 50 grams, which was around 90 grams at the same time last year,” he said, adding that the production of the fruit has fallen by around 40 percent this year.

Growers said due to smaller size one kg of jujube is being sold at Tk 25 to Tk 30 which was sold for Tk 35 to Tk 40 last year.

Naresh Chandra Sen, 56, a jujube grower at Barobari village in the upazila, said he spent 20 percent additional money this year with a hope of getting a handsome production as he got a good profit last year.

“Due to prolonged cold spell I will not get expected production from the 500 jujube trees on my six bighas of land,” he said.

Bidubhushon Roy, deputy director (DD) at Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) in Lalmonirhat, said there are about 1,000 jujube orchards on 2,700 bighas of land in five upazilas of the district, while it was on 200 bighas a few years back.

Farmers became interested in growing the fruit as they got a good profit in the previous years, but the scenario is different this year due to fog and cold spell, he said, adding that the agriculture officials are providing technical support and advice to the growers about how to protect the fruit from cold.