Bright prospect of grapes cultivation in Rangamati

Rangamati Correspondent :Bodhipur hamlet in Kutukchhari union under Rangamati Sadar upazila have worn a festive look as bunches of grapes are hanging in a good number of plants.Bijoy Kumar Karbari, headman (village chief) of Bodhipur attained success in raising grape plantation in the hilly soil. Locals and people from all classes visit his plantation regularly to know about his success.With the assistance and consultancy from the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE), he has been maintaining his plantation successfully, said Bijoy Kumar, adding that he had faced problem at the beginning, but now he is counting his good days. Grapes produced in hills are juicy, sweaty and its quality is better than the imported ones. Bijoy was inspired to produce grape from the success stories published in the dailies and telecast in electronics media. He started planting the fruit at a corner of his personal land collecting saplings from Raikhali Agriculture Research Centre at Chandraghona under Kaptai upazila of the district three years ago.He harvested 10 kilograms of grapes in first year of the plantation, he said while interviewed by The Daily Observer. But the yield was not so sweet at the beginning, added Bijoy. He took advice from the DAE here, and from the second year he harvested more, said Bijoy adding the fruit has turned bigger and tastier this year.Sub-assistant agriculture officer of Rangamati DAE, Shanti Priyo Chakma said that on behalf of DAE she has been providing Bijoy Kumar Karbari with required assistance.Grape plantation will play a significant role in agriculture economy of the hills if its potentiality could be spread among the people, opined Shanti.The Deputy Director of Rangamati DAE, Naresh Chandra Baroi said he would direct the higher authority so that the fruit can be cultivated in a more extensive context.