Shonapara's gold: A tiny betel nut market worth crores
Betel nut is considered a cash crop in the region, and Shonapara is one of the several betel nut hubs in Cox’s Bazar. A stroll through the market gives us a look into its dynamics and sales during trying times
The smell is distinct, pungent and powerful. And palpable, if damp and spongy were a smell, this could be it. The throngs of men who sat, stood or walked by the golden-orange hues of betel nuts – responsible for the smell – did not seem to bother with it, not even in the slightest. After all, they come to the open-air betel nut market twice every week all year long, and most are veterans of the business.
Md Nur Absar – as per usual – was at the Shonapara's shupari bazaar in Ukhiya upazila, Cox's Bazar on a morning earlier this year. He is one of the betel nut garden owners who come to the bazaar on Wednesdays and Sundays.
"In fact, it was my father [Late Abdul Majed Company, a Shonapara resident and zamidar's son] who popularised the betel nut trade to this extent. At least among our neighbours. Before [at least 20 years ago], you wouldn't have seen this many betel nut gardens in Shonapara," said Absar.
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Operations start around 7 am in the morning. Trucks, pick-up vans and tom-toms come through carrying betel nuts. The scurry to unload or, in some cases, to load is conspicuous. The bazaar stays active till after lunch.
The crowds of men at the bazaar are in high energy and almost always in motion. And why wouldn't they be – the approximately 800-1,000 strong men who make up the bazaar are doing business that amount to Tk1.5-2 crore per day of the bazaar, "and that is a modest estimate," said Salamat Ullah Kalu, the president of Panshupari Business Committee of Shonapara market.
Speaking to several traders, they all claimed, unanimously, that their success is a result of "the best quality" of the betel nuts they provide in the country.
The bazaar itself is small in size. Perhaps 200 feet in the radius. This market runs year-long. And in the month of Ramadan, traders expect relatively lower sales than the rest of the year. "A little lower," said Absar.
And recently over the last five years, the market saw a fresh boost in demand. "Let's say, hypothetically, my annual trade volume amounted to Tk4 lakh before. In the last five years, it doubled," said Absar, adding "because demand in the local market shot up led by Rohingya consumers." Consignments of betel nuts also travel to the camps in Cox's Bazar due to the demand.
Catering to additional consumers
After close to 8,00,000 Rohingya refugees fled to Bangladesh in 2017, the existing camps in Cox's Bazar expanded further to 32 camps now. Betel quid (paan) is a necessity, much like it is for the host community, which considers it a life staple.
"I remember overhearing a phone conversation between my mother and aunt back in late 2017," said Absar, who inherited nine acres of betel nut farm from his father, "my mother voiced concern over the new community of people and limited resources. She was worried that we would have trouble getting rice. And the response from the other end was remarkable I thought.
'They left their homes and came here. They must have also brought their rizik [entitlement to resources ordained by God, as believed by devouts] with them. Think about that' my aunt told my mother," said Absar, now smiling wide.
"I believe that. The influx doubled my business. There is no question about it."
Although betel nuts are collected from its trees around September-October, traders store it that lasts all year around for trade. "Wet" betel nuts, the ones stored in water for durability, tend to give off a distinctly strong smell.
Absar comfortably makes a living from his betel trade with an estimated annual Tk25 lakh income from the beetle nut trade. "Sometimes I make a sale at the market, sometimes I bring buyers home or they come themselves to see my stock and make a sale here [at his house]," he explained, "and that's how it is for garden owners." 'Outsiders' are those who do not own gardens but work as traders.
The mechanics of the crores-worth betel nut bazaar
Mohammad Yousuf is an 'outsider' who travels to Shonapara twice a week from Chakariya, another upazila in Cox's Bazar. The commute takes approximately two hours one way by car. "Sometimes I tag along with one of the pick-up trucks," said Yousuf, who is deemed to be the 'biggest' trader at the Shonapara market.
"I have my own shop at Chakariya. [There's no bazaar there like Shonapara]. People come to me to buy betel nuts which, some of them trade to Dhaka or elsewhere in the country," said Yousuf, "I bridge the gap for them [Chakriya residents and Shonapara market]."
Yousuf was sitting a little inside the market, away from the open-air bazaar. To reach him, you would have to walk through the narrow alleys lined with shops and over muddy ground. But traders make that walk because Yousuf successfully built a repertoire with the bazaar community. Most seem to know him by name.
Outside, where the president sits and oversees the bazaar, there are small pockets of crowded men. In the centre, a man with a fanny pack stands and speaks. If a deal is successfully struck with someone surrounding him, a cash transaction quickly takes place. There is a certain body language to it too, a discretionary one. And if you were to look closely, you can almost detect the wavering hand gesture from afar signalling a failed deal. It's fast-paced, loud and at the same time a quiet harmony exists between the men at the market.
At one of these small pockets, the man with a fanny pack was Mohiuddin Hossain, a fellow trader from Ukhiya. "Betel nut is a cash crop for this region, we all know this. That is why we stick to it," said Hossain, with betel quid (paan)'s red stained smile.
The betel nuts are brought to this bazaar from all across Ukhiya upazila, Teknaf and Ramu too, according to the traders, who claim that they provide the best quality betel nut in the country and that they have the largest marketplace.
From this bazaar, traders buy, sell and send betel nuts to other districts in the country.
Shonapara is one of the few betel nut trade hubs in Cox's Bazar.
To illustrate the scope of betel nut trade across the country, in the year 2020-2021, Cox's Bazar had the second-highest production at 33,144 metric tonnes of betel nuts grown over 2,762-hectare land. Only Lokkhipur tops these figures in the Chattogram division. And, the largest producer of this nut occurs in Barishal (at 2,65,950 metric tonnes over 17,730-hectare land) with Bhola bringing in 1,29,000 metric tonnes in the said division.
Shonapara is one of the scores of tiny markets that make up this "cash crop" betel nut trade in Bangladesh, which is exclusively used in betel quid (paan).
What is missing from any discourse on the economics of Shonapara shupari bazaar or its dynamics is the effects of betel nuts on one's health. No one seems to be bothered about it, according to Absar – who is much younger than the traders mentioned in the story. "Betel nut is part of life here. Very integral. I bet 80% of Ukhiya upazila [of approximately 2 lakh population and which includes Shonapara] people are somehow connected to betel nut," he said.
The popularity is widespread and burrowed deep into the minds of most, especially men starting from their teenage years. Red-stained betel quid smiles and teeth are a common sight but no one seems to be bothered about the effects of its overuse and addictive nature of the food – oral cancer is one of its several risks.
