(BSS) – Guava market in Jhalakathi is not located in an open area rather it is in rows of boats in the canal water.

The most attractive floating market in southern region is Vimruli guava market in Jhalakathi. Every year during the guava season, this floating guava market is crowded with buyers, sellers, traders and tourists from different parts of the country.

However, the main target of the travel enthusiasts is to visit guava garden either side of narrow canals by small boats or trawlers.

According to the description of former UP Chairman of Kirtipasha Union and former headmaster Bhabendranath Haldar, there are small canals, locally called Kandi, inside the guava garden as tidal water can flow without getting waterlogged.

There are good yielding Amra trees in the guava Kandi as well which impresses any tourist. Bean seedlings and banana trees have also been planted in the Kandi. Apart from lemon, lime, papaya and mango cultivation, Rabi crops are also planted in this Kandi.

Along with men, women farmers also enter the alleys of the garden by boat. They take guava from the garden to the floating market for sale. There, whether it is sunny or rainy, the farmers always wait in the boat for buyers. Even if it suddenly rains heavily, the farmer has to endure the roar of the sky.

Every day, buying and selling takes place at the market from 7 am to 12 noon.

During the guava season, groups of travelers come to the Bhimruli floating market by trawler from the morning.

Everyone comes here to get a piece of peace and oxygen from nature. Wherever you look, there are only trees and trees across the horizon.

He also said that guava has been cultivated in this area for more than 200 years. Before that, his grandparents were also involved in guava and vegetable cultivation.

Currently, guava, amla, lemon, banana and mango along with rabi crops are being cultivated in this huge garden on his 15 acres of land. Currently, hundreds of farmers from Bhimruli, Dumuria, Shatdashakathi, Jagdishpur, Ata, Jamua, Kapurkathi, Rampur and Mirakathi are involved in guava gardens.

Regarding this, one of the two branding products of the government-designated Jhalakathi district is guava.

Guava and Shitalpati are two famous products of Jhalokati. An attractive sculpture of guava on Shitalpati has been constructed in the middle of the fountain in front of the district administration office.

Guava has been commercially cultivated in more than 20 villages of Jhalakathi Sadar Upazila for many years, including 11 villages of Kirtipasha Union in Sadar Upazila of the district, including Bhimruli, Mirakathi,

Dumuria, Bhairampur, Khejura, Khoddabharahar, Beshainkhan, Shankardhabal, Beukhan, Sthansinghpur and Kirttipasha, 5 villages of Nabagram Union in Nabagram, Himanandkathi, Dariapur, Saurakathi and Kangaramchandrapur and a few villages in Gavaramchandrapur, Binoykathi and Shekherhat Unions.

Guava has been cultivated on 600 hectares of land in the district this year. Out of which the yield per hectare is about 10,000 kgs.

Guava trees usually flower in the Bengali months of Magh-Falgun. They flower three times in a row. Guava ripens from the month of Ashar. Guava is available until the month of Bhadra. The months of Ashar and Shraban are the peak season for guava.

The sight of wholesale buyers arranging guavas in four-cornered houses made of banana leaves is also worth watching. Apart from this, guavas are being lifted in large trawlers filled with plastic cases.

Local businessman Shubhrajit Haldar said that guava farmers are not getting a very good price this year.

He said that the number of tourists has increased in the last two to three weeks. He said that the hourly boat fare is also fixed for tourists at this market.

Shahriar Rayan, a tourist from Barishal, said that this floating market in Bhimruli in Jhalakathi is very beautiful. According to him, it is a market like China and Vietnam where there is a green environment. He said that he enjoyed traveling by boat with his family.

A single elderly visitor said that recently he has been visiting the Bhimruli floating market with his family. “There are mango orchards here. Basically, the guava orchards are the ones that make everyone unhappy. The problem here is that there is no accommodation, and the quality of food in the hotel is not good. These need to be addressed on an urgent basis to the greater interest of the varieties.

Fatima Tuz Johra, a student of Barishal University, said, “Our feelings after coming to Bhimruli Guava Orchard are very interesting. We had a lot of fun all day and visited with our family. It is a very good place. I come here every year and want to come.”

Local UP Chairman Abdur Rahim said that although Bhimruli Bazar is quite old, it has been very busy for 30 years.

This Bhimrul Bazar in Jhalakati district is now the largest floating market in the southern region, he said, adding that Algerian Ambassador to Bangladesh Dr. Abdelouahab Saidani came to Bhimruli on July 27 to see this market.

Before him, ambassadors from the United States, Japan, Nepal and India have also come here several times.

Apart from this, ministers, MPs and various important people are also coming to visit the guava orchard.

Jhalakathi Press Club President Kazi Khalilur Rahman told BSS that former US Ambassador Dan Mozena, former Indian High Commissioners Harsh Vardhan Shringla and Riva Ganguly Das had come to see the Bhimruli floating market. They were then asked to cooperate in the development of Bhimruli.

Abdullah Al Mamun, Deputy Director of Jhalakathi District Agricultural Extension Department, said that guava was cultivated on 562 hectares of land in the district this year.

This includes 16 villages in two unions, Kirtipasha and Nabagram, in Sadar Upazila and a few villages in neighboring Gavaramchandrapur, Binoykathi and Shekherhat unions.

In addition to Sadar Upazila and Nesarabad (Swarupkathi) Upazila of Pirojpur, guava is also commercially cultivated in 15 villages in Banaripara Upazila of Barisal district.

Upazila Executive Officer (UNO) Farhana Yassin told BSS that farmers in Bhimruli often do not get the expected price. This is because guavas have to be sold very quickly. It is not possible to store them even in cold storage.

The upazila administration has a plan with the farmers on how to make guava jam and jelly.

Regarding the branding product guava, Jhalakathi Deputy Commissioner Ashrafur Rahman told BSS that a watch block, sitting zone, bathing area and a stone-paved ghat in the river have been built for tourists next to the Bhimruli floating market with the funding of the Tourism Board and LGED.

A free Wi-Fi zone has been made through the ICT Department. The district administration has plans for some more development work.

In particular, efforts are being made at the government and private levels to see whether hotels and motels can be built. Apart from this, loud sound systems and DJ parties have been banned to maintain peace and order.