Lemons bring joy to orchardists

Lemons are turning a pretty penny for farmers in Tangail's Delduar upazila. With increased demand particularly during the month of Ramadan lemon growers have benefited from higher prices. The good quality, flavour and lack of seeds in the district's lemon varieties have only served to further drive the popularity of the fruit. According to farmers, as lemons have proven to be more profitable than paddy, the land devoted to lemon orchards is increasing annually.

The agriculture extension department reports that lemon orchards currently cover 800 hectares in the upazila, with over 1500 people currently engaged in commercial lemon production.

"I have a lemon orchard covering 5 acres," says Lokman Miah, an orchardist from Sadaripara village in Fazilhati union. "I earn up to 4 lakhs per annum." Sales are particularly vibrant during Ramadan when an 80-kilogram sack sells for at least Tk 3,000, he adds.

Likewise several other local farmers expressed their satisfaction with recent demand, yields and prices for lemons this year.

According to Delduar upazila's agriculture officer Kaniz Suraiya Sultana, however, the benefit to farmers would be even greater if there were lemon processing facilities or a juice factory nearby, she adds, or if export markets were developed.