Vegetables production abundant, prices lucrative in Rangpur region

RANGPUR, Jan 14 (BSS): Farmers are expecting a bumper production of winter vegetables after exceeding its fixed farming target of the crops in all five districts of Rangpur agriculture region this season.

"The farmers have already cultivated winter vegetables on 38,766 hectares of land, higher by 2.75 per cent against the fixed farming target on 37,729 hectares to produce 7.86 lakh tonnes of vegetables in the region," said Horticulture Specialist of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) Khondker Md Mesbahul Islam.

Under the programme, the farmer have cultivated the crops on 12.560 hectares of land in Rangpur, 7,570 hectares in Gaibandha, 6,998 hectares in Kurigram, 6,333 hectares in Lalmonirhat and 5,305 hectares of land in Nilphamari districts in the region.

"Following expanded cultivation of early varieties of winter vegetables adopting new cropping patterns, the vegetables have flooded the local markets now with excellent yield rates and lucrative prices under favourable climate in the region," he said.

The DAE, Bangladesh Agriculture Research Institute (BARI), Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation (BADC) and NGOs supplied quality seeds, inputs and provided necessary technical assistance to the farmers.

In addition to this, different commercial banks and many NGOs disbursed easy-term agriculture loans among the farmers to make the intensive winter vegetables farming programme successful this time.

"Meanwhile, the farmers are still continuing cultivation of late varieties of winter vegetables after harvesting the early, short and long duration variety Aman rice side by side with continuing harvest of the early variety vegetables," Islam added.

Talking to BSS, farmers said continuous harvests of early varieties of winter vegetables with excellent yields made them happy bringing excellent market prices at this stage of the season.

Bigger vegetable trader at Badarganj Bazar here Malek said vegetables traders were exporting huge quantities of harvested winter vegetables to capital Dhaka city and other parts of the country daily by trucks from different points of the region.

"Some 110-120 trucks loaded with winter vegetables are being sent to the capital city and other places daily from all five districts of Rangpur agriculture region," said vegetable trader Abdullah at Shothibari Bazar in Mithapukur upazila of Rangpur.

Talking to the news agency, farmers Kamrul Huda and Shafikur Rahman of Taraganj upazila said they started harvesting and selling potato, cauliflower, brinjal, 'bitter gourd', 'bean, green chili and many other vegetables daily.

Farmer Tauhidul Islam of Pirganj upazila here expressed satisfaction over excellent yield rates and markets price of winter vegetables bringing lucrative profits to the farmers of the region.

Deputy Director of the DAE at its regional office Md Moniruzzaman said the farmers were expanding cultivation of both winter and summer vegetables round the year to earn better profits as many of them already attained self-reliance in recent years.