Rubber promises forex
Tk 1,500 cr could be earned after meeting domestic demand
Jahangir Alam, back from Modhupur (Tangail)
Netrakona: Robber production in the hilly areas of greater Mymensingh can be increased substantially if intensive cultivation method is adopted. This can also earn foreign exchange after meeting the domestic demand, sources in Bangladesh Forest Industries Development Corporation (BFIDC) said. The soil, climate and average yearly rainfall in the area are favourable for rubber cultivation. They said about 63,000 metric tons of rubber worth about Tk 315 crore were produced from 7935 acres under Bangladesh Forest Industries Development Corp-oration's (BFIDC) Modhupur rubber plantation zone in the last financial year. This is close to the country's annual requirement. Sources said, about 70,000 tonnes of rubber is required in around 2000 rubber-based industries in the country. BFIDC has four rubber estates under its Modhupur zone. These are Pirgacha estate (2,875 acres), Chandpur in Tangail (2,375 acres), Sontoshpur in Fulbaria (20,20 acres) and Karnajura estate in Jinaigathi in Sherpur (655 acres). About 200 trees are planted on one acre. Each tree produces an average of 250 grams of rubber per day, rubber collector Abdur Rahim said at Pirgacha estate. Rubber is collected on alternate days. A total of 354 tonnes of rubber are produced every day from 7935 acres in Modhupur zone. Waliur Rahaman, Assistant Field Supervisor of Sontoshpur estate, told this correspondent during a recent visit that the annual production can exceed two lakh tonnes in Modhupur zone if intensive production method is followed. After collection, the rubber is sent to the factory at Pirgacha, where it is processed and made ready for supply to different rubber factories. Besides Modhupur, BFIDC has also rubber gardens in Sylhet and Chittagong. But the rubber produced in Modhupur is of better quality than those produced in Sylhet and Chittagong. BFIDC officials said about 60,000 acres of land can be brought under rubber plantation in the country and foreign currency worth Tk 1,500 crore can be earned annually by exporting rubber. They said Bhaluka, Trishal and Dhubaura upazilas in Mymens-ingh and Kalmakanda and Durgapur upazilas in Netrakona are also favourable for rubber cultivation. Gardens will be raised there in future, they said. BFIDC has 16,586 acres under rubber cultivation in eight gardens in its Chittagong zone and 8083 acres in four gardens in Syhet.
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