16,550 tonnes of groundnut production in five northern districts

RANGPUR, Aug 25 (BSS): The farmers produced 16,550 tonnes of groundnut during the last Rabi season and just-ended Kharip-1 season in all five districts under Rangpur agriculture region this year.
Official of the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) said the farmers of Rangpur, Gaibandha, Kurigram, Lalmonirhat and Nilphamari districts produced a record quantity of 10,336 tonnes of groundnut from 5,298 hectares of land during the last Rabi season and 6,214 tonnes of the crop during the just-ended Kharip-1 season.
Horticulture Specialist of the DAE at its regional office Khondker Md Mesbahul Islam today told BSS that a target of producing 5,512 tonnes of groundnut from 3,445 heaters of land was fixed for Rangpur agriculture region during the last Rabi season.
"However, the farmers produced a 10,336 tonnes of groundnut by cultivating the crop on 5,298 hectares of land exceeding the fixed cultivation target by 1,853 hectares of land during the last Rabi season in the region," he said.
Again, the farmers produced 6,214 tonnes of groundnut by cultivating the crop on 3,652 hectares of land against the fixed production target of 7,003 tonnes of groundnut from 4,460 hectares of land during the just-ended Kharip-1 season in the region.
Regional Farm Broadcasting Officer of Agriculture Information Service Abu Sayem said the farmers achieved excellent groundnut production following expanded cultivation of its high yielding varieties evolved by the Bangladesh Agriculture Research Institute (BARI).
"Groundnut cultivation has become highly profitable and the farmers are expanding its farming everywhere including vast char areas after getting repeated bumper output with lucrative price following huge demand in local markets," Sayem added.
Deputy Director of the DAE at its regional office Md Moniruzzaman said the common farmers and char people are expanding groundnut cultivation in all five districts of the region because of lower farming cost and excellent market price.
"The farmers are getting 1.35 to 1.95 tonnes of groundnut yield per hectare following cultivation of the BRRI-evolved high yielding varieties of groundnut allover Rangpur agriculture region," Moniruzzaman added.
He said, "A farmer earns a net profit of Tk 30,000 to Tk 40,000 by producing 22 to 25 maunds of groundnut per acre of land during both Rabi and Kharip-1 seasons excluding the farming costs of Tk 14,000 to Tk 15,000 on an average."
Groundnut traders Mokhlesur Rahman and Mohammad Sohel at Rangpur City Bazar said the newly produced groundnut was being sold at lucrative rates between Tk 2,000 and Tk 2,100 per mound in wholesale markets.
Farmer Abdul Kader of Tepamadhupur village, char people Mukul Mian, Bakul Mian and Moshiar Rahman of Char Biswanath village in Kawnia upazila of Rangpur said they have changed his fortune by farming groundnut on char lands.
Similarly, char people Ruhul Amin and Amir Ali of the same village said they have achieved self-reliance by cultivating groundnut on riverine char lands in recent years bringing well-being to their families.