Shortfall in production 99 coconut oil mills closed
Bagerhat Correspondent :
Due to the attack of white flies production of coconut was fallen short abnormally in Bagerhat and its adjacent districts and its (coconut) high price as many as 99 auto coconut oil mills were closed down in Bagerhat district alone.
Due to the shortage of coconut and its high price only 10 auto coconut oil mills in Bagerhat BSCIC Industrial Estate are running in crippled way.
After reducing of 70 percent coconut production life and livelihood of 4 lakh people dependent on coconut are now under threat.
All these information were confirmed by BSCIC, Agriculture department and the owners’ association of auto coconut oil mills of Bagerhat district.
According to an assessment done by Bagerhat district Agriculture department, coconut trees of the district were attacked with harmful white flies in the year of 2019 for the first time and it has been spread rapidly all over the district.
Consequently, the production of coconut decreased 70 percent by this time. Due to the attack of white fly green leaves of coconut trees are gradually become dried up and the heads of the trees become weaker and that time bunches cannot bear any fruits and ultimately (coconut) trees die.
In the last financial year (2023-24) only 33 thousand 4 hundred 50 tons coconuts were produced on 3 thousand 6 hundred 54 hectares of (coconut gardens) lands.
But Bagerhat BSCIC and the leaders of the owners’ association of auto coconut oil mills of Bagerhat district differ from this statistic given by the Bagerhat district Agriculture department Md. AliSheikh, former president of the owners’ association of auto coconut oil mills of Bagerhat district disclosed, only a few years ago more than one lakh tons coconuts were produced in the district and based on the productionof coconuts of the district as many as 109 auto coconut oil mills were established in the district alone.
After the attack of white flies on the coconut trees in the year 2019 serious disaster appeared in the production of coconut in the district.
At present production of the coconut reduced up to 70 percent in the district. On the one hand, for want of desired production of the commodity each dried coconut is being sold here at Tk.150 and above as against of Tk.40 to Tk.50.
On the other hand, in order to produce 1 (one)litter oilat least 12 pieces coconuts are required.
As a result, production cost of one litter coconut oil is Tk.1,800 without incidental charges. But in the market the price of 1 litter coconut oil is being sold below that.
Consequently, 99 auto coconut oil mills of the district were closed down one after another. At present only 10 auto coconut oil mills are running in the district in crippled way.
Swapan Kumar Basu, owner of “Grand Auto Coconut Oil Mill”, the biggest coconut oil mill of the district which was closed down long ago told, practically at present no coconut is produced in Bagerhat and which is now being produced is sold as green coconut for drinking purpose before it is matured.
It is more profitable for the farmers. Only a few matured (dried) coconuts are found in the market which are costly and that is why 99 coconut oil mills of the district were already closed down.
Md. Sharif Sardar, Deputy Manager of Bagerhat BSCIC Industrial Estate told, based on production of huge quantities of coconuts in Bagerhat district some 109 auto coconut oil mills were established in the district.
But following the attack of white flies the production of coconut fallen short abnormally in the district and consequent high priceof the same the owners (of oil mills) were forced to close down their auto coconut oil mills in the face of loss.
The Deputy Manager added, at present there are only 10 mills are in operation in the BSCIC Industrial Estate.
Agriculturist Md.MotaharHossain, Deputy Director of Agriculture Extension department, Bagerhat told, at present coconut trees of the district were badly affected with white flies. This menace started in the year 2019 and now it is out of control.
As a result, production of coconut has fallen short abnormally. He added, Agriculture Scientists visited the matter on the spot and advised that reconciled measure (IPM) should beadopted in order to control the calamity.
But the correct guide lines under IPM to control the insects were not preparedso far.
He further added, if it is possible to spray pesticides over the affected coconut trees through the aircrafts the production of coconuts once again be increased in the district.