Pineapple delight

Even though the time pineapples usually ripen fall between the months of May and June, the Chattogram Hill Tracts (CHT) get the fruit at its sweetest at this time of the year as well.

Pineapple growers are delighted to have the summer fruit grow early this year as they will benefit from early harvesting. 

During a visit to Rangamati Samataghat Bazar recently, this correspondent saw the growers selling their produce on boats.

The market at Samataghat Bazar is set up twice every week (Wednesday and Saturday), when many cultivators come from different areas of the hill tracts with their boats full of pineapples. Local traders gather at the market to buy the fruits.

Each pair of the pineapples were being sold at Tk 15-20, this correspondent saw.

Growers said the pineapples are grown in many places of the district, such as Bogachari, Ramhori Para, Kutukchari of Naniarchari upazila; Tommedung, Bandhuk Vanga, Kayandya, Ajaribag of Rangamati Sadar upazila, and various other places of Longadu, Barkal, Jurachari and Bilaichari upazilas.

Cultivator Sunil Kanti Chakma, 35, from Jogonatoli village in the same upazila, said he grew 15,000 pineapple plants on his three acres of land last year. “I am very happy that the pineapples have arrived early. I have started selling them last week.”

Muhammad Harunur Rashid and Muhammad Saiful Islam, traders from Chattogram, said they come to this market often to collect pineapples from the hills, which they later sell in different markets in the port

“Fruits from the hills always have a huge demand in Dhaka and Chattogram due to its delicious taste,” Rashid said.

Paban Kumar Chakma, deputy director of Rangamati DAE, said they always provided necessary assistance to the growers for successful cultivation.