A partial view of an off-season cabbage field in Bogra. The photo was taken on Monday. — FE Photo
BOGRA, Sept 04: Off-season cabbage and bean cultivation brings smile on the faces of the growers of the district as they make a good profit from the produce this current season.
According to the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) office source, some farmers of all the twelve upazilas of the district have brought around 30 hectares of land under off-seasonal cabbage cultivation hoping for bumper production and fair market price with the assistance of local agriculture offices.
The amount of the cabbage growers is increasing gradually across Dupchanchia, Kahaloo, Adamdighi, Sibganj, Sherpur, Sonatola, Dhunot, Nandigram, Shazahanpur and Sadar upazilas as they had made a satisfactory profit from the vegetable. To produce each fresh cabbage the farmers spend Tk 10 to Tk 30.
While visiting the correspondent found the farmers selling the crops with Tk 30 to TK 50 according to its size and shape. The farmers of Shibganj send them to the other districts mitigating the local demand. The growers are seen happy over good price in retail markets. Everyday the vegetable is appearing in the different kitchen markets.
Considering easy and cheap cost, the growers have shown more interest to bring new land under off-seasonal cabbage cultivation. The cultivation of the vegetable is increasing gradually in the area as it is proved them more lucrative within short time. The farmers are cultivating KK cross, Soros, Atkas-60 and summer warrior variety cabbage in the district.
"I have taken some 13 decimal of land under off-seasonal cabbage cultivation spending Tk 2300 hoping for good profit in this current season," said farmer Soleman Ali under Sibganj upazila. "I have sold some 230 pieces of the vegetable with Tk 12,300 and hope Tk 15,600 will be sold from the remaining crops," he also said.
Sub-assistance agriculture officer Faridur Rahman said, "We motivate the root-level growers to bring more land under off-seasonal cabbage cultivation this district. The farmers also show positive face to cultivate the crops", he added.
Meanwhile, around 100 farmers of Nandigram upazila of the district expressed the hope of making a good profit by farming off-season beans this season.
Officials of the DAE said some 120 hectares of land had been brought under the cultivation of the bean variety with the production target of 60 tonnes of fresh production. The department provided necessary agri-input to the growers, the officials added.
To get a good yield farmers use unirea, TSP Potas and natural fartilisers after tilling the land.
In a recent visit, this FE correspondent found per maund of the vegetable was being sold at Tk 4,000 in the local markets.
The vegetables can be harvested after 50 days from its plantation if the farmers apply the right cultivation method, said farmer Ahmmed Ali. He said he has already sold some 12 kgs of the vegetable at Tk 1000, he added.
Upazila agriculture officer Musidul Islam said off-season bean farming is increasing in the area due to its high profit.
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