Strawberry fruit being cultivated commercially in Narsingdi

M.A. Awal, Narsingdi :
 Cultivation of Strawberry a lichi, like fruit has started in Narsingdi district, due to its economic prospect and meeting the demand of nutrition.
One Kazi Iqubal Hossain a farmer of Charsindur union of Polash upazila first started cultivation the sapling of Strawberry collected a sapling of strawberry from Syprus last year. Then he growing more saplings of Strawberry in the tubs. After that he cultivated 9000 Strawberry trees on 40 decimals land of his homestead garden last season. The trees bearing fruits within three months and he began harvesting fruits from January. He said he is harvesting 10 kg of strawberry fruits daily from his orchard and being sold at local markets at a rate of Tk 250 per kg. He expressed his satisfaction over the cultivation of Strawberry that so far he eamed Tk 8.50 lakh by selling the Strawberry fruit and optimistic of achieving more profit during the last season. Kazi Iqubal Hossain also growing saplings of Strawberry on his homestead garden this season.
Seeing the success and financial profit of Kazi Iqubal Hossain, a number of educated youth in different upazilas of the district showing their eagerness to cultivate Strawberry and they have also started cultivation of Strawberry.
Deputy Director Department of Agriculture Extension Narsingdi Muksed Ali told the New Nation that cultivation of Strawberry the bush variety of fruit is more profitable as the fruit has great demand in the local markets. The small size like lichi fruits contains huge nutrition, vitamin and mineral. Its colour is also attractive. It is also using as fruit and also using in other foods fro increasing the beauty of the food.