Bagerhat Sadar recorded the highest betel nut cultivation area with 1,200 hectares. Photo: BSS

By Azad Ruhul Amin

BAGERHAT, Nov 25, 2025 (BSS) – Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) has expected highest betel nut production in Bagerhat district in the past 10 years. 

Officials report that betel nut has been cultivated on 3,960 hectares of land this year, with a production target set at 28,990 metric tons. Already, 65 percent of the nuts have been collected, and favorable weather could allow farmers to exceed the target.

For years after Cyclone Sidr, betel nut production in the coastal district suffered severely due to high soil salinity. Many garden owners, once dependent on the crop for their livelihoods, faced major losses. This year’s improved harvest—described by farmers as the best in a decade—has renewed hope, bringing smiles back to the faces of growers and their families.

Bagerhat Sadar recorded the highest betel nut cultivation area with 1,200 hectares, followed by Kachua 1,153 hectares, Morelganj 750 hectares, Sharankhola 300 hectares, Fakirhat 250 hectares, Chitalmari 120 hectares, Rampal 122 hectares, Mollahat 60 hectares and Mongla 3 hectares.

Last year, the district produced 26,800 metric tons of betel nut. Officials said  increased rainfall at the end of monsoon and reduced salinity this year have created ideal conditions, boosting production significantly.

Betel nut, a major cash crop in the region, typically takes about five years from planting to bear fruit, with yields increasing gradually over time. The main harvesting season runs from September to December. Nuts from Bagerhat are supplied nationwide, including to Dhaka, Chattogram, Feni and other districts.

Local markets—such as Bagerhat Dargah, Jatrapur Hat’s Kachua Bazar, Ghazalia Bazar, Fakirhat Bazar and Jatrapur Bazar—are bustling with trade. 

Betel nut trader Mosharraf told BSS that a dozen nuts (which may include 231 or 264 pieces depending on the area) are selling for Taka 400–600 on average. Prices are expected to rise further toward the end of the season.

Tourists and visiting relatives often flock to local shops to buy and taste the region’s betel nuts, adding to the demand.

Deputy Assistant Agriculture Officer Tapan Kumar Majumder said that interest in betel nut cultivation is rising among farmers. “Already 65 percent of the nuts have been collected. If the weather remains favorable, we expect to exceed the production target. Betel nut has a strong demand nationwide,” he said.

Deputy Director of DAE Md. Motahar Hossain said improved varieties from the Bangladesh Coconut Research Center are helping farmers achieve better yields. 

“After Sidr in 2007, salinity and low rainfall caused a decline in production. Now, with favorable environmental conditions, the yield is increasing again,” he added.

Agriculture officials believe this year’s bumper harvest could significantly strengthen the district’s economy. If current trends continue and farmers receive fair market prices, betel nut may soon emerge as one of Bagerhat’s most profitable cash crops.