Godagari upazila in Rajshahi, part of the drought-prone Barind region, has witnessed a major transformation in its agricultural landscape over the past decade. The upazila has about 41,199 hectares of cultivable land where at least 22 types of crops are grown, including rice, vegetables and fruits. Large-scale fruit cultivation has created employment opportunities for thousands of people. This season, Pran Group alone purchased about 22,000 tonnes of tomato from local farmers under contract farming. Rajshahi University economist Dr Kazi Zulfikar Ali said that proper preservation infrastructure could significantly benefit marginal farmers and reduce food waste.

Source: Dhaka Tribune January 07, 2026 17:27 UTC