A lemon kingdom rises on turmeric fields: Fulbaria farmers hope for Tk 100 crore in lemon sales this season

In the villages of Enayetpur union in Fulbaria upazila, lemon orchards now stretch as far as the eye can see. On land where farmers grew large amounts of turmeric and vegetables about a decade and a half ago, rising demand for lemons has drawn growers to switch crops. Farmers and agriculture officials hope lemons worth around Tk 100 crore will be sold from the upazila this season.

Enayetpur, a border union of six villages, lies about 18 kilometres south of the upazila headquarters. Lemons are grown in almost every household there, and most farmers pick and sell lemons from their orchards every day. Because lemons are available all year round, locals know the area as a 'lemon kingdom'.

According to the upazila agriculture office, lemons have been cultivated on 754.8 hectares of land in Fulbaria this year, of which Enayetpur union alone accounts for 550 hectares of orchards. By variety, Colombo lemons cover 453 hectares, seedless 283 hectares, Kagzi 15 hectares and Zara lemons 3.8 hectares.

Masud Talukdar, a farmer from Soaitpur village in Enayetpur, planted a seedless and Colombo lemon orchard on six acres three years ago. He sold lemons worth Tk 20 lakh last season and hopes to sell around Tk 30 lakh worth this season if market prices stay good.

Enayetpur bazar hosts one of the country's largest lemon markets, where farmers trade from noon to evening every day. On Sunday, wholesalers were seen at the market from Dhaka, Chattogram, Barishal, Khulna, Pabna, Sirajganj and other parts of the country.

Farmers and wholesalers say lemons worth an average of Tk 20 to 22 lakh are sold at the Enayetpur market every day. A sack of Colombo lemons (450 to 500 pieces) sells for Tk 2,500 to 2,800, seedless lemons for Tk 2,200 to 2,500 per sack, and Kagzi lemons for Tk 4,500 to 5,000 per sack.

On Sunday, farmer Sakhawat Rabbi of Enayetpur village brought 10 sacks of seedless lemons to the market by van and sold them at Tk 2,300 per sack. Shahid Mia of the same village sold four sacks of Colombo lemons for Tk 10,000.

Enayetpur Union Parishad chairman Md Bulbul Hossain said lemon is now the main cash crop of the union's farmers and almost every farmer has a lemon orchard. Farmers bring 700 to 800 sacks of lemons to the market daily, he said; although prices of the perishable fruit fluctuate, sales average about Tk 20 lakh a day. He expects daily sales to reach nearly Tk 1 crore during Ramadan.

By the agriculture office's calculation, Colombo lemons yield 560 sacks per hectare, so 453 hectares will produce 253,680 sacks, worth Tk 63.42 crore at an average of Tk 2,500 per sack. Seedless lemons yield 500 sacks per hectare, giving 141,500 sacks from 283 hectares and an expected Tk 31.13 crore. Kagzi lemons will add another Tk 375,000. Altogether, the agriculture office estimates lemon sales from Fulbaria at around Tk 95 crore this season.

Fulbaria upazila agriculture officer Sukanta Dhar said, 'Lemon orchards in this upazila cover 754.8 hectares. The yield has been good. If market prices hold, I estimate farmers will sell lemons worth nearly Tk 100 crore this season.' Notably, lemons from Enayetpur village were exported to several European countries in the 2019-20 fiscal year.