Farmers of northern region busy with veg farming

RAJSHAHI, Apr 25 (BSS): Farmers are passing busy days with vegetable farming of the current Kharif season.

In the current dry season, they are happy with their good yields with less irrigation water following a couple of rains experienced.

According to the agriculturists, the growers are now busy with vegetable farming side by side with paddy and jute. More or less rains are experienced since beginning of the season.

As a result, the irrigation-dependent lady's finger, bitter gourd, pointed gourd, brinjal, chilli, cucumber and bottle gourd were cultivated without any irrigation.

Mosharraf Hossain, a farmer of Nawhata Sheepur village under Paba upazila, said he cultivated okra on one bigha of land after taking it on lease at a cost of Tk 8,000. So far, the farming needs no irrigation as a result of couple of rainfalls since the month of Chaitra. So, production cost would come down and the yield will be increased.

So far, he sold the crop worth Tk 10,000 and expects more production if weather remains favorable. Like him, many others were also benefited by the suitable climate and rainfalls.

"I cultivated bottle gourd, cucumber and coriander on 16 decimals of land beside our homestead by using organic fertiliser this year, and I got expected production," Ali Hossain, a farmer of Baroipara village, said.

Banera Khatun, 36, wife of Sabdul Mian in Darusha village of Paba upazila, said, "We have been producing chemical-free vegetables, using vermi-compost. We are also selling some vegetables in the local market after meeting the family's demand."

Anwar Hossain, 40, a farmer at Alipur village in Durgapur upazila, said chemical-free vegetables are in high demand at the village, and locals are purchasing the vegetables at higher prices.

Monjure Mawla, upazila agriculture officer of Paba, said the farmers are passing their busy days with farming varieties of vegetables on more than 1,600 hectares of land in the upazila. Target of vegetable farming has been set on 8,450 hectares of land in the district in the current season.

Dev Dulal Dhali, deputy director of Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE), said farmers have started growing chemical-free vegetables, using organic manure like vermi-compost, in the region including its vast Barind Tract.

He added gardening around homesteads in the current season through using the organic fertilizer has started gaining ground with production of different fruits and vegetables safe and hygienic ways.

Besides, marginal farmers and the poor people are mostly engaged in this venture by making the best use of spaces around their homes over the last couple of years.

Varieties of vegetables are available in the local markets round the years because of regular farming of the vegetables along with other seasonal fruits and crops. They are getting expected output and are also earning windfall profit after meeting the cultivation costs.

DAE and Bangladesh Agriculture Research Institute (BARI) extend support alongside need-based training and required inputs to the farmers to grow safe vegetables for their own consumption and extra earning by selling those.

Dr Shakhawat Hossain, senior scientific officer of BARI, said use of vacant spaces for producing fruits and vegetables has been seen as potential means for gradual development in the life of the downtrodden in the region comprising 25 upazilas of Rajshahi, Naogaon and Chapainawabganj districts.