Bandarban Correspondent

In the hilly district of Bandarban, farmers are abandoning tobacco cultivation and cultivating colorful sugarcane in different places.
The hill did not stop in different cultivation as well as sugarcane cultivation. Sugarcane cultivation, like other crops in the highlands, was limited. But with the change of time, sugarcane is being cultivated on a lot of land and in the foothills of the hill district of Bandarban. Sugarcane cultivation and market is increasing in the hilly areas. As a result, a revolution has started in sugarcane cultivation in the region.

On the other hand, the farmers have got success in sugarcane cultivation in the hills or plains in the highlands. He has successfully turned the economic wheel. Tobacco and Zoom farmers are involved in this. So the interest in sugarcane cultivation has increased and many zoom and tobacco farmers have planted sugarcane on their own initiative.

Sugarcane production has been good this time as there is no attack of insects and spiders this season. Farmers are happy to get the expected price of sugarcane. In addition to their financial improvement, the nature-environment is being protected from harmful effects.

According to the Bangladesh Sugarcane Sugarcrop Institute, sugarcane was cultivated in 455 hectares in the last season 2019-20, yielding 160 to 180 metric tons. In the current season, in the financial year 2020-21, 460 hectares of sugarcane has been cultivated. However, this year's yield has not been determined yet, said a sugarcane research official.

It can be seen that the farmers have cultivated colorful sugarcane all over the plains including Roangchhari, Jamchhari, Krekshyang Para, Muslim Para, Minjhiri, Suwalak. Which is 12 to 15 feet long, thick and succulent in the shape of sugarcane. There are bamboos around the sugarcane to make it suitable. So that the sugarcane does not fall from the base to the head. The perfect time to sell at the end of a year of full-time care is when buyers are actually roaming across the sugarcane growers' orchards.

It is learned that the work of planting sugarcane seeds started from October. If the weather is unfavorable, fertilizers and pesticides are applied at the beginning of planting sugarcane seeds. Then in order to protect the sugarcane from its power and decay, a ditch was dug in the middle of the land and the road was paved with water. So that the rain water does not get submerged from the beginning of planting of sugarcane seedlings. Even the seeds are planted for a whole year from the beginning so that they can be sold.

Chihlamong Marma (54), a farmer from Jamchhari, said, “I have been cultivating colorful sugarcane for 5 years. Before cultivating, I started cultivating sugarcane with training from sugarcane. However, the sugarcane company has distributed fertilizers, pesticides and saplings from the beginning of cultivation. Now it is expected to make a profit by selling sugarcane.

Mangsinu Marma, 45, a new farmer in the same area, said, "I have started cultivating Rang Bilas sugarcane all over the 80-acre area with training this year." With proper care my yield has been good. However, two officers from Sugarcane Sugarcrop are working in the field.

Liaquat, a sugarcane farmer from Muslim Para, said he has been cultivating Rang Bilas sugarcane for 10 years. I have planted less luxury sugarcane around 40th century now than before. Before that I used to cultivate more colorful sugarcane. I have reduced this year because I could not handle the work.

Md. Shahed (20), a sugarcane retailer in Balaghata market, said, “I have been selling sugarcane in this market for a long time. This time the sugarcane is sweet and delicious. However, it is sweeter in October. According to the rules of the market, I am selling one sugarcane at 30 to 40 rupees. There is a profit of at least 10-15 rupees from each sugarcane.

Kachan Marma, agronomist and senior scientific officer at the Bangladesh Sugarcrop Research Institute, said 180 farmers have been trained by the Sugarcrop Institute. At the end of the training 1500 seeds were distributed among the farmers. At the same time, seeds, fertilizers and pesticides have been given to the farmers at the beginning of the work. Besides, the Sugarcane Research Institute has helped the farmers in various ways including incentives and training. However, two technicians have been kept in the field to monitor the situation so that the farmers are not harmed in any way.

He added that the government has been trying to reach out to buyers to reduce the violence of middlemen in selling sugarcane to farmers. However, the interest of farmers in sugarcane cultivation has increased this year as compared to last year. The official said that the current pace of sugarcane cultivation in the hills would be a major factor in the economic transformation of agriculture and hill tribes in the region.