Water chestnut trees are seen floating in water like herbaceous plants as they grow in water. Water fruits are cultivated as a seasonal crop in low lands and beel areas along with ponds. Many people also cultivate these with fish filled lakes. The fruit looks a lot like Singara, a local snack. Thus many people call it Singara also.
Water chestnut is rich in water and contains a lot of minerals. Water chestnut trees are being cultivated across the canals and water bodies in Bogura. As it is profitable, the interest of farmers is increasing in water chestnut cultivation in this district. As the cultivation is increasing every year, the sales in the market are also getting better.
Farmers are happy to get good price with good yield at low cost. Apart from the district town, Water chestnut produced in Bogura are going to different districts in the north.
According to the District Agriculture Extension Department, saplings can be planted from monsoon season to the beginning of fall. Fruits can be picked 2 to two and a half months after planting. Fruits can be picked from each tree 3/4 times, which is available till the start of winter or December. This fruit has no seeds, at the end of the season the seedlings grow again from the ripe fruit, after which the seedlings are planted in the pond. The Department of Agriculture hopes that this fruit will be cultivated in more water bodies next year as well.
Meanwhile, the farmers of Bogura are interested in cultivating water chestnut as it is profitable at low cost. Water chestnut trees are now adorning the canals, beels and water bodies of Gabtali, Shibganj and Sadar upazilas of the district. There is a demand for this fruit everywhere in urban and rural areas. This fruit can be eaten even after boiling. Besides raw fruits, boiled fruits are also sold in the market.
Belal Hossain, Sohail and 6 others cultivate water fruits in Khailshakuri beel of Gabtali every year. They work hard and cultivate water fruits with fertilizers and medicines. When this fruit is cultivated, the farmer has less work to do. They cultivate this fruit every year as it is profitable. Abdus Samad, Bakkar and some others have cultivated water fruits in Dubila near the second bypass road in Sabgram-Baria area of Sadar upazila. They said that due to the low land, there is no crop which can be cultivated in semi-marshland, so they cultivate water chestnut fruits here every year. Traders buy fruits from their land. The market sits in the Chashibazar area near the Chelopara Bridge in the city from dawn till 6 am.
Abu Bakkar, a trader in Bogura, said that water fruits are sold in this market in fall season. During the busy season, 200 tons of water chestnut is traded in this market every day. Apart from Bogura city, he said he was going to different districts in the vicinity. Water chestnut is being sold at a wholesale price of Tk 500 to Tk Although the price of raw fruits is less, the price of whole or ripe fruits is higher. Ripe fruits are available in the market in boiled form.
Md. Enamul Haque, Additional Deputy Director (Grain), Department of Agricultural Extension, Bogura, said that water chestnut fruits are very tasty. Seedlings including water chestnut fruits from Bogura are being sold in different districts of the country.
The Department of Agriculture is providing technical assistance. The agriculture official said that there is a possibility of cultivation in different parts of the country including other upazilas of the district in future.
