Bumper peanut output likely in Gopalganj, Rajshahi

GOPALGANJ, Apr 28: Farmers of Boiltali union under Gopalganj Sadar are expecting a bumper production of 'Dhaka-1' peanut variety this season.
Santosh Biswas, sub-assistant agriculture officer of Boiltali Union, Block-4, said the peanut variety is high yielding and short duration. About 700 farmers of the area are engaged with the crop production.
Farmer Susan Biswass is expecting around 12 maunds of 'Dhaka-1' peanut production this year.
The grower said if the market price remains stable he would be able to make a profit of Tk 40,000.
He further said the local agri office provided all necessary support in this connection.
Md Mizanur Rahman, upazila agriculture officer, Gopalganj Sadar, said a total of 950 hectares of land have been brought under the farming of Dhaka-1 peanut cultivation in the upazila of that 150 hectares in Boiltali union.
He said production cost of the crop is low but return is high. Farmers can harvest the crop within 120 to 130 days of its cultivation. Over 10 maunds of yield can be produced from a bigha of land. Profit of Tk 3200 to Tk 3400 can be made from the yield.
The official urged the cultivators to expand the farming of peanut as the environment and soil of the district are suitable for it.
Meanwhile, BSS adds: In Rajshahi, growers are expecting of good yield of peanut as they are enjoying suitable weather since sowing stage of the cash crop here in this current season.
Royez Uddin and Ahammed Ali, two farmers of Char Mazar Diar under Paba upazila, have jointly brought five bigha of land under peanut farming this season.
Suitable weather and couple of rains help healthy growing of plants which are now fruit setting stage. The farmers are expecting cherished yield if the crop does not face any natural disaster till harvesting.
Royez Uddin said sandy lands are suitable for peanut farming. For this reason, more cultivation of the crop was taken place in Padma riverbeds in Rajshahi.
The government has extended training, fertiliser and seed to the farmers in order to expand China peanutin the region.
Monjur-E-Maula, upazila agriculture officer, said peanutis generally cultivated on the sandy land. Experimentally some local farmers started to cultivate peanut on their barren land which remain uncultivated all the year in this char areas for last few years.
On their success a number of farmers now are cultivating peanutas cash crop in the vast char areas. The char farmers are getting reasonable price of the crop.
He said around 64 bighas of land were brought under the crop cultivation in Char Mazar Diar and Char Khidirpur areas this season. Till now, the farming remains in satisfactory condition.
Farming one bigha of land require cost of Tk 5,000 and that can give yield eight to 10 tonnes. Farmers become benefited if they can sell their harvested crop at Tk 1,500 per maund, said agriculturist Maula.
Deputy Director of DAE Dev Dulal Dhali said farmers of the areas are now showing interest to cultivate BARI groundnuts on more lands.