Pineapple growers face losses

Pineapple growers in Tangail's Madhupur region are facing severe losses this year despite a good harvest, citing a sharp decline in demand and prices due to recent nationwide unrest and floods.

Known for producing juicy varieties such as Giant Q, Honey Queen, and Ashwina, Madhupur's pineapple sector typically thrives. However, this year, many farmers are struggling to make ends meet.

Hasmat Ali, a grower from Mahishmara village in Madhupur upazila, cultivated pineapples on 10 bighas of land at a cost of Tk 7.5 lakh.

Despite favourable weather leading to a strong yield, he anticipates a significant loss.

"Last year, medium-sized pineapples sold for Tk 30-35 each. This year, buyers are unwilling to pay more than Tk 12-15. I won't even recover my investment," he said.

Saiful Islam, a grower from Moter Bazar, echoed similar concerns. "We had a good harvest, but the unrest and floods have severely impacted sales and prices. We're not making any profit," he added.

The situation was evident during visits to the district's two largest pineapple wholesale markets -- Jalchhatra in Madhupur and Garo Bazar in Ghatail.

Buyers and sellers usually flock to these markets at this time of the year, however, this time around, the sales are sluggish. 

"Many buyers have stayed away due to the instability," said Abbas Ali, a wholesaler at Jalchhatra market.

Lokman Hossain Liton, general secretary of the pineapple traders' association at Garo Bazar, added, "Prices have dropped drastically due to the lack of buyers."

Tariqul Islam, a local grower and advocate for organic farming, warned of large-scale wastage due to the absence of storage, preservation, and processing facilities in the district.

"We have repeatedly requested government action, but nothing has been done," he said.

Md Kabir Hossain, deputy director of the Department of Agricultural Extension in Tangail, urged entrepreneurs to consider producing pineapple-based products such as jams, jellies, and juices to help farmers secure fair prices.

He also mentioned plans to explore export opportunities for the region's pineapples.