Amid winter, the sweet aroma of date palm molasses continues to define Jhenaidah’s rural economy, and it is now reaching dining tables not only at home but also thousands of miles away in Europe and America.
Due to the favourable weather, date palm sap collectors in Jhenaidah are witnessing a bumper season of molasses production this winter, surpassing official targets and opening new export avenues in Europe and America.
Traditional date palm collectors, known as ‘Gachhi’, have begun large-scale production of date palm molasses.
The increased output has boosted trading in local markets, while demand has also surged online. Producers say the quality of molasses is better than previous years, enabling them to secure higher prices.
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According to the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), Jhenaidah, the district has 1,42,235 date palm trees in six upazilas, of which around 1,12,760 are suitable for sap extraction.
DAE set a production target of about 48.14 lakh litres of date palm sap and 872 metric tonnes of molasses.
Officials say the molasses produced in Jhenaidah is meeting local demand and is being supplied to Dhaka as well as exported to Europe and the United States through expatriate networks.
Abdur Rashid, a molasses producer from Bankira village in Sadar upazila, said he sends molasses to Canada every year.
“An expatriate from our village, Abdullah Al Mamun, regularly buys molasses from me. One bhar (traditional unit) of molasses sells for between Tk 1,300 and Tk 1,800 depending on quality,” he said.
Saiful Islam from Krishnapur village said his elder brother lives in the United States and molasses from their village is sent there annually to meet demand among Bangladeshi expatriates.
Mahir Uddin, a gachhi in Kotchandpur upazila, said most local producers bring their molasses to Safdarpur market, which is known for maintaining quality.
“Adulterated molasses is rare here. Because of the good quality, traders from outside areas come to buy molasses from this market,” he said.
A pair of molasses pots sells for around Tk 3,000 in the market, he added.
The growing popularity of online sales has also added a new dimension to the trade.
Ainunnahar Afsari, a woman entrepreneur from Beparipara area of Jhenaidah district town, said she sells molasses online to customers across the country.
She purchased jaggery at Tk 260 per kilogram from gachhi Bablu Rahman of Bangkira village in the Sadar Upazila and sells it outside at a profit.
Abul Kashem Babu, a leaseholder of Safdarpur molasses market, said the number of date palm trees in the region has declined over the years, though new saplings are growing naturally.
“If the government takes initiatives to preserve the tradition of date palm molasses, the gachies will survive,” he said, adding that farmers earn a decent income by selling sap and molasses during winter.
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The Safdarpur market, serving 34–40-year-old traders, operates twice a week—on Saturdays and Tuesdays—and handles weekly transactions worth Tk 7–8 crore, he said.
If government support is provided, jaggery production is expected to rise, which could further contribute to the country's economy, he added.
Md Kamruzzaman, Deputy Director of DAE, said the district has already surpassed its molasses production target this year, thanks to the intense cold and favourable weather conditions.
Molasses is sold in 197 markets across the district, both large and small, with weekly sales reaching Tk 50 crore over just two days.