Farmers in Bandarban district have turned to coffee and cashew nut cultivation, attracted by favourable weather and high profitability.
According to the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), cashew nuts are currently grown on 2,650 hectares and coffee on 850 hectares of land in Bandarban. The region’s fertile soil and hilly terrain have contributed to rising yields each year.
MM Shah Newaz, deputy director of the DAE, said that since 2021, a project titled "Cashew and Coffee Research, Expansion, and Production Enhancement" has been promoting coffee and cashew farming. Under this five-year initiative, 1,666 demonstration plots for cashew nuts and 1,469 for coffee have been established. Additionally, 7,470 farmers have received training in 249 batches to improve their technical and technological skills.
A private cashew processing industry, Kishan Ghar Agro Limited, has been set up in Balaghata, while a coffee and cashew processing center has been established at the Horticulture Center under the Year-Round Fruit Production for Nutrition Development Project, creating employment for over a hundred men and women.
As cashew and coffee production increases, entrepreneurs have set up collection and storage centers across various upazilas.
“High-yielding Vietnamese M23 cashew varieties and Arabica-Robusta coffee seedlings have been distributed to farmers. Grafted saplings have also been provided to project-affiliated farmers based on demand,” said Shah Newaz.
Some demonstration plots have been equipped with drip irrigation systems to ensure efficient watering. These initiatives have expanded cashew cultivation to previously fallow land, while new coffee plantations have emerged under the shade of mango and jackfruit orchards.
With cashew cultivation proving profitable, tobacco farmers are now shifting to cashew farming.
Liton Debnath, Deputy Director of the Bandarban Horticulture Center, said that free sapling distribution under the project has further boosted coffee and cashew production. “The price of cashew nuts has risen to Tk 6,000 per maund from Tk 4,000 per maund,” he added.
Chaching Marma, Assistant Horticulture Officer at the Bandarban Horticulture Center, noted that trained farmers are now voluntarily taking up coffee and cashew farming. The processing facility at the Horticulture Center ensures farmers receive fair prices for their produce.
Ruby Akhter, an employee at the cashew factory, said she works part-time while continuing her studies, using her earnings to support her education and family.
Saiful Islam, Manager of Kishan Ghar Factory, said research is underway to expand cashew cultivation and processing using domestic technology. He added that all workers in this growing industry play a crucial role in increasing production.
Asma Akhter, another factory worker, shared that her family’s livelihood depends on her job at the plant.
Ching Sa Mong, Chain Manager of Kishan Ghar Factory, said he previously worked in the tobacco industry but switched to cashew processing for better opportunities. The factory's operations have created employment for local women.
“Grassroots plantation owners receive fair prices for their cashew harvests, while entrepreneurs directly buy coffee and cashews in bulk from farms. In some cases, wholesalers even provide advance payments to farmers for their crops,” he added.
Bd-pratidin English/ Jisan
