Poor prices of lotkon make growers worried at Dighinala 

DIGHINALA, KHAGRACHHARI, July 9: A bumper harvest of lotkon (Baccaurea motleyana), a popular sweet-and-sour tropical fruit, has brought good yields but lower prices of the fruit make growers in Dighinala Upazila of Khagrachhari worried this season.

The fruit, widely cultivated in the hill district, is in high demand both locally and in the plains. After meeting local demand, traders transport large quantities to markets across the country.

According to the Dighinala Upazila Agriculture Office, lotkon orchards now cover around 82 hectares of land in the upazila. Encouraged by low production costs and growing market demand, many young entrepreneurs have taken up the cultivation of the fruit alongside other hill crops.

One of the largest growers in the upazila, Dipankar Prasad Chakma, owns an orchard with about 250 fruit-bearing lotkon trees. This year, almost every tree has produced a heavy crop.

Lotkon grows well in moist, sloping hill areas and requires relatively little care. Trees generally begin bearing fruit six years after planting, and production increases as they mature, making the crop a profitable long-term investment.

Despite the abundant harvest, growers are disappointed by falling prices. Lotkon is currently selling at Tk 30 to Tk 40 per kilogram in local retail markets, significantly lower than in previous years.

Dipankar said he planted around 350 saplings in 2012, with the trees beginning to bear fruit six years later.

"This year, about 250 trees have produced an excellent harvest. However, because market prices are low, I had to sell the entire produce from my orchard to a trader for Tk 2.10 lakh," he said.

He added that although the return was lower than expected, lotkon cultivation remains profitable because production costs are relatively low and yields increase as the trees grow older.

Dighinala Upazila Agriculture Officer Md Shahadat Hossain said the upazila had recorded a bumper production of sweet lotkon this year.

"The trees require very little maintenance. Farmers need to apply only a small amount of fertiliser once a year. Lotkon cultivation has good income potential and can become an attractive commercial crop for hill farmers," he said.