The farmers of Pandul and Tabokpur union under Ulipurupazila in Kurigram district are becoming self-reliant cultivating betel leaf round the year.

The production cost is few but profit is high. The farmers of these areas produce more and if a farmer has a Boroj of betel leaf he has no tension of his cost of family round the year. The Boroj will continue up to 15-20 years. But it should be maintained by changing fence, straw,bamboo sticks and spraying slightly anti insects as well as applying fertilizer.  It is mentioned here that the cultivated betel-leaf farming is called “Boroj” and the farmers are cultivating here from their generation to generation. More than three hundred farmers are cultivating of betel-leaf here.

While visiting on the spot and found that betel leaf is cultivating at Satghoripara, Apuarkhata,Kagjipara,Jharbhanga and Mohishmuri village under Pandul union.They raised up the arable land with fencing the land and shade are also set up in around seven feet high with straw (kashia) where they have planted betel leaf.

Talking to Sunil Chandra Pal (Barai) 67 of village ApuarKhata(Baraipara)  who was also the member of Pandul UP for three terms told that he has cultivated betel leaf on his 50 decimal of land.He made the Boroj four years back which will continue up to 15-20 years. The farmers who has “Boroj” are called Barai. Consequently, generally they add Barai with at the end of their name.

Sunil Babu told that if any betel-leaf farmer (Barai) cultivate on his one bigha of land it will need Tk. one lac as expenditure and take care he will sell at Tk. Three lacs. Deducting the expenditure his net profit will Tk. two lakhs.Similarly the same profit he will get every year. Another BaraiSubir Chandra Dey 66, Bimol Chandra 60 and Akash member 45 of village Satgharipara under Pandul union narrated same words.There are two kinds of betel-leaf which are Horipur(Gaibandha) and another local variety. Sometimes the staffs of various medicine manufacturing companies and staff of agriculture department come here now and then and give suggestion but they have not provided with medicine free of cost as well as any kinds of financial assistance from government and non-government organizations.

It is planted in the Bangla month of Falgun and Chaitra and harvesting time of Aushin and Kartik. At that time per bira(80 pieces) betel-leaf will be sold at Tk.120-130. It needs slightly fertilizer, bamboo, straw, cow dung, and oil-cake should be applied in every fifteen days causes their plants will increase rapidly and it will be healthy and size will large causing the buyers will choice easily, SunilBabu said.

The Pandul union is famous for betel-leaf cultivation in Kurigram district. The betel-leaf (Pan) and Dul or Duli where Pan were kept in local Haats and Bazars causes the name of the areas named after Pandul.The betel-nut of Pundul is tasty than others places,former member of Pandul union parishadAbdus Salam said.

He further said that the demand of betel-nut in greater Rangpur region is very high. If any guest come to the houses at first they are entertained with betel-nut. If it is not served with betel-nut especially after breakfast or any invitation, the guests as well as relatives will unhappy.

Thebetel-leaf cultivators said the farmers have not to go other places to sell. The haat of betel-leaf set up two days in a week in Pandul where whole buyers from various parts inRangpur division come here to buy. Consequently, there is no problem for marketing of betel-leaf. But it is a great regret that the prices of all cultivation items including bamboo, straw, oil cake, fertilizer and wages of labors have been increased causes the cultivation of betel leaf have also been decreased than previous times.

Deputy Director of KurigramDepartment of Agriculture Extension (DAE)Biplob Kumar Mohonto said a total of 395 Boroj have been prepared on 28 hectares of land in the district. In addition, the farmers are being motivated to increase the cultivation of the number of Boroj andbetel-leaf in nut tree.