The importance and contribution of fruits in our daily life is immense. We get various benefits from meeting the needs of
different types of vitamins and minerals, physical growth and prevention of body decay, development of talent, increase immunity, above all poverty alleviation of the people of the country, employment and income growth. In addition, the role of fruit trees in providing life-saving oxygen, reducing environmental pollution, preventing natural disasters and protecting biodiversity is undeniable. Therefore, there is no alternative to fruit cultivation to ensure the development and nutrition security of the country. So if you want to stay well, eat at least one or two fruits every day. An adult needs to eat about 220 grams of fruit per day out of which we get 8 grams / per day / per person. At present, there are about 160 million people living in Bangladesh and 121.52 lakh metric tons of fruits are being produced every year to meet their nutritional needs. Although this yield is not enough compared to the demand. So we have to cultivate fruits at home and commercially as planned. Different types of fruits are available in our country at different times. For example, in Bangladesh, more fruits are available in summer. Therefore, if fruits can be preserved through processing and preservation and by planting different seasonal fruits, it is possible to meet the nutritional needs by meeting the demand for fruits throughout the year.
Hon'ble Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said the country has already achieved self-sufficiency in food production as a result of the government's agri-friendly policy and various practical steps. Emphasizing the importance of fruit cultivation in the development and nutrition security of the country, he said that we need to achieve self-sufficiency in nutrition by increasing fruit production and directed to use every inch of land through cultivation to cope with the effects of corona. As our native fruits are rich in special nutrients, there is no alternative to planting fruit trees to ensure the supply of native fruits in the daily food list to meet this challenge. Therefore, it is necessary to increase the cultivation of native fruits throughout the year by combining modern technology in a planned manner. '
Current status of Bangladesh in fruit production
In fruit production, Bangladesh has surpassed the production level of previous years. Bangladesh is moving forward not only in production but also in fruit export. Note Table 1 of fruit production for the last five years.
Ensuring and caring for the production of quality improved varieties of seedlings / cuttings to increase fruit production: Since December 2019, the virus called Ecovid 19 has been attacking people in almost all countries of the world. The people of the country are dying in this attack and at the same time various crises are being created in the country. Producing and consuming adequate and nutritious food is the biggest challenge at the moment so it is very important for all of us to cultivate all kinds of crops and plant fruit trees. In this case, the officials and employees of the total 8 horticulture centers of different categories of the horticulture wing of the Department of Agriculture Extension are working following the directive of Hon'ble Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. They are regularly producing seedlings / pens and serving customers as Corona Fighters. The centers have already been instructed to increase the production of various vegetable and flower saplings. The farmers are being given various advices on the sale of regularly produced seedlings and cuttings and fruit production by maintaining social distance every day in the centers. The concerned Horticulture Wing of the Department of Agricultural Extension has already taken various steps to achieve the production target including increasing the production area of different fruits in Bangladesh this year (2019-20).
Seedlings / cuttings can be purchased from the nearest Government Horticulture Center for planting improved varieties of seedlings / grafts of good quality as good quality seedlings / cuttings are available here at low prices.
Source: Annual Report, Horticulture Wing, Department of Agricultural Extension
By taking proper care of the old fruit trees and ensuring more fruits, the economic development and fruit cultivation of the locals can be taken to a profitable level. Facilitate light and ventilation by removing infertile twigs through training-pruning system, pruning / removal of unnecessary tree stalks in the garden and weeding, weeding, fertilizer application, pest control, mulching, if any. Irrigation.
Fruit taking rules in the current context: The easiest way to protect yourself from the harmful effects of the corona virus is to increase the body's resistance to disease. In order to increase the resistance to this disease, we must regularly consume fruits and vegetables every day. Fruits are a rich source of nutrients and provide us with adequate amounts of vitamins, minerals, fiber and lots of beneficial hormones and phytochemicals to protect the body from various diseases. Provides protection, which is essential for good health. As the fruit is rich in medicinal properties, it is called 'disease resistant food'. As a result, anthocyanins, lycopene and antioxidants are used to protect against the deadly disease.
The fruit we eat directly when raw or ripe. Since it is possible to eat the fruit directly without cooking, it contains all the existing nutrients. But care must be taken when eating food that can be eaten raw during coronation. There is no evidence that Kovid-19 can be transmitted through cooked food. Experts say the virus dies when food is cooked. But there are risks with raw vegetables, fruits. Since other buyers may be holding anything in the market by hand, even sellers are holding them, so there is no guarantee that they are completely sterile. In the case of the raw market, Professor Bloomfield's advice is to wash everything dry in cold tap water and then pick it up or use it (BBC Bangla News). The World Health Organization recommends keeping raw and cooked foods completely separate.
The corona virus, however, has not yet taken hold of food. However, it is important to take some precautions. Here are his tips to clear in five steps: (Source: NDTB Food Bangla, India)

1. Wash your hands first
   You must make sure your hands are clean before washing vegetables. Wash your hands with soap for at least 20 seconds before cleaning fruits and vegetables. Then keep washing the fruits and vegetables.
2. It should be washed under water
   Put all the fruits and vegetables bought from the market under the open tap, wash and clean by hand. There is no fear of any bacterial infection.
3. Not soap at all
   Wash things brought from the market with water, not soap or detergent. If you see any rotten or stained part somewhere, cut it off immediately.
4. Use a brush or sponge
   You can use a brush or sponge to clean the dirt while cleaning vegetables like potatoes or carrots.
5. Which ones to wash with extra
   It is important to take extra as much as possible while cleaning grape fruits or vegetables. So put them in a basket and put them under the faucet. Again lettuce and leafy vegetables should be kept in a bowl of cold water.
   In this way, everyone will move forward, but this country will be self-sufficient in fruit production. And our people will get adequate nutrition and the country will get healthy and talented citizens. In addition to increasing fruit production, proper preservation and processing management is required. This will create more processing industries on a small and large scale. As a result, the agrarian economy will be stronger and more dynamic, the people will have a nutritious future in food. So let's plant more fruit trees and build disease resistance.