Betel leaves grown in the hilly areas of Cox’s Bazar are now reaching local markets.
The region’s hilly soil and favourable weather create ideal conditions for betel leaf cultivation, allowing farmers to produce strong yields.
After harvesting the leaves from the hills, growers bring them to different markets in the town for sale.
In front of Uttaran, roughly midway along the Kolatoli bus terminal in Cox’s Bazar, several workers can be seen busy arranging betel leaves for sale.
Before reaching the market, they sort the leaves by size and quality and neatly bundle them.
Local betel leaf trader Helal Uddin said the leaves had been brought from the hilly areas for sale.
Before taking them to the market, traders have to carefully arrange the leaves and tie them with thin string or kurchi.
They are also often placed in khash containers or baskets to prevent damage and make transportation easier.
Traders said the price of betel leaves depends on their size, quality, variety, and the season.
In wholesale markets, 500 leaves can generally fetch between Tk 50 and Tk 800. Prices also vary by variety, including misti pan, sanchi pan, and Bangla pan.
Betel leaves are commonly sold in units known as bira in the market. Each bira contains 64 leaves. Therefore, around eight bira are needed to make up 500 leaves.
The betel leaves cultivated in the hilly areas meet local market demand and support the livelihoods of many farmers, workers, and small traders.
Behind each neatly arranged bundle is a story of the people who depend on this traditional trade for their daily living.
By Mohammad Morshed
Photo: Mohammad Morshed
