Farmers fear loss as banana yields dying

Ishwardi (Pabna) Correspondent :

Panama disease has spread widely in banana trees in Ishwardi. Hundreds of hectares of trees have been affected by this disease. Thousands of banana trees are dying before the eyes of the farmers. As a result, the farmers are crying because of the pain of breaking their dreams. According to the office of the Ishwardi Upazila Agriculture Officer, banana cultivation has been done on 1840 hectares of padma char in the upazila. Out of this, 1800 hectares of land have been cultivated in Laxmikunda union. Due to profit in banana cultivation in recent years, the farmers of Kamalpur, Dadapur, Lakshmikunda, Kaikunda, Charkurulia, Shantinagar, Degree have cultivated only banana instead of other crops.
Banana farmers said an unknown virus has attacked banana plants. The virus first attacks the old leaves of the banana plant and gradually reaches the top and attacks the young leaves. It turns the banana leaves brown and dries up. After a few days the leaves fall off. Banana tree trunks or trunks are yellow to red crooked spots due to virus attack. Later the plant dies due to rotting in the lower and upper part of the root. Many times banana trees burst. After cutting the tree, the inner white part appears black. This year, thousands of banana plants are dying due to this virus. Apart from this, black spots appear on the upper part of bananas infected with this virus. Bananas are unripe and tasteless. If the banana plant is not protected from this disease, hundreds of farmers will be forced to stop banana cultivation to avoid losses.
5-6 years ago, banana cultivation started in the remote grasslands of Lakshmikunda Union on the banks of the Padma of the upazila. In the first year, as the farmers got huge profit, banana cultivation was done on 1800 hectares of land of this union. Apart from this, 40 hectares of land are cultivated in other areas of the upazila. Cultivation in the grasslands has changed the rural economy here. All farmers have become financially independent.
Abdul Halim, a farmer of Charpratappur village, cultivated banana on 120 bigha land in Laxmikunda’s Shantinagar Char of Ishwardi. He said, I have been cultivating bananas for 11 years. I have been cultivating Shantinagar pasture for five years. Banana cultivation is profitable every year. This time due to the virus, banana trees died and there was a huge loss. Apart from this, the losses have increased due to increase in the prices of fertilizers and pesticides.
Salim Reza, a school teacher and banana grower of Charkurulia village, said that hundreds of hectares of land are being cultivated in Laxmikunda Degreechar and Shantinagar areas of the upazila for five years. From 2023, the virus started attacking banana plantations. This time 70 percent of the banana plantations have been attacked by the virus.
According to the local agriculture department, diseased banana trees should be burnt. Panama disease free seedlings should be collected and planted. After two or three years banana cultivation should be stopped and other crops should be grown on that land. Also, increasing soil organic matter by applying lime can keep banana plants free from Panama disease.
Shamima Khatun, Sub-Assistant Agriculture Officer of Lakshikunda Union, said, I have advised to cut and burn the leaves of virus-infected banana plants and spray fungicides.
Upazila Agriculture Officer Mita Sarkar said that banana trees infected with Panama disease should be uprooted. Always try to plant virus-free banana seedlings to avoid virus attack.