Banana farming is proving profitable for many villagers on the several river islands in the Dharla River in Mogholhat and Kulaghat unions of Lalmonirhat Sadar upazila.

For many years the marginal land of the river islands was largely uncultivated because local farmers were unsure how to grow different crops there, especially fruit. But nowadays banana plantations have found their place, with crops sold in the nearby town for good profit.

"I've been farming bananas on eight bighas of river island land for the past five years," says Faridul Islam 45, adding that previously the land was unused for agriculture. "By spending Tk 50,000 per year I earn about Tk 3 lakhs from banana sales. My family is solvent now."

"Once we grew peanuts on the islands but now we cultivate a range of crops and fruit throughout the year. We farm bananas year-round," says Nazrul Islam, 56, a farmer of Char Kulaghat.

Sohrab Hossain, 60, resident of Kharuya Char village on another island estimates that the river islands account for about 900 acres of land in the two unions. "There are about 300 banana plantations at a minimum size of around two bighas of land," he says, "which supply green banana to the mainland market for Tk 2 – 3 per piece."

Abdul Gany, 65, a river island farmer of Char Banspachai says in spending Tk 6,000 to produce bananas on one bigha of land he can anticipate a profit of at least Tk 35,000.

"Our island villagers used to suffer extreme poverty," observes Idris Ali, chairman of Kulaghat union. "But thanks to bananas they have become solvent. Bumper production and high demand has helped."

Mahir Uddin meanwhile, a banana trader at Goshala Bazar in Lalmonirhat town says each green banana bought for Tk 2 – 3 will sell for up to Tk 5 after ripening. "We also send bananas to Dhaka and other parts of the country," he says.