Bangladesh, Oct. 23 -- Date palm tree climbers, locally known as gachhis, are busy preparing trees for the upcoming winter season in Jashore, as rising production costs threaten the profitability of the region's traditional date palm sap and jaggery industry.

Across the district, the familiar sounds of knives and ropes signal the start of preparations. Gachhis are pruning old branches and scraping the tops of date palm trees to make them ready for sap collection ahead of winter.

The industry is a major contributor to the local economy and a source of livelihood for hundreds of people. According to the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), the sector generated economic transactions worth approximately Tk 120 crore during the previ...