Farmers in Madhupur, Tangail, one of Bangladesh’s leading pineapple-producing regions, are not receiving fair prices for their produce due to the absence of modern processing centers. Known as the “capital of pineapples,” the area’s favorable soil and climate yield large harvests each year, yet the sector has not reached its full potential. Local farmers and officials say that establishing a processing industry could enable production of juice, jelly, and biscuits for export, boosting foreign exchange earnings and local employment.

Farmers such as Suruzzaman and retired sergeant Masud Rana emphasized that a government-backed factory and gas connections could reduce transport costs, prevent waste, and protect growers from market syndicates. Madhupur’s Upazila Executive Officer Md. Jubayer Hossain and Agriculture Officer Rokib Al-Rana both supported the need for a processing center, noting that 6,479 hectares are under pineapple cultivation this season, with potential trade worth about Tk 500 crore.

Officials and growers agree that modern marketing systems and processing facilities are essential to fully realize Madhupur’s pineapple industry potential.