MAGURA, June 24: Sesame growers in the district have started harvesting their produce. They are happy over the production and present market price.
The Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE), Magura, sources said a total of 3,175 hectares of land were brought under sesame cultivation across the district.
About 7,200 tonnes of sesame production are expected in the district this season.
Aroj Ali of Shibrampur village under Sadar upazila said he cultivated sesame on two bighas of land. He achieved 17 maunds of production this season.
Golapdi Biswas of Jagla village said he has recently earned Tk 35,000 from the sale of newly-harvested sesame grown on over four bighas of land.
He is expecting to make a profit of Tk 20,000 more from the rest of the produce.
Official of a local NGO Shafiqur Rahman said sesame cultivation is popular among the farmers in the district. Around 20 tonnes of sesame can be produced on a hectare of land if the growers use high-yielding seeds.
High-yielding sesame is of short duration. It takes only 85 days to harvest while other common varieties take 115 days.
Sesame is selling at Tk 1,650 to Tk 1,700 per maund in the local markets.
Magura DAE official Shohrab Hossein said the department arranges training programme on the cultivation process of sesame.
"We also provide high-yielding seeds to the growers. Cultivators should expand the production of the oil seed for more profit."
