BOGRA, Feb 12: Flower growers of the district are expecting to make a profit of Tk 45 million this season.
Sources said more than 400 people are directly and indirectly engaged with the profession. Cultivation of varieties of flower is profitable due to high market demand and price.
Market sources said varieties of flower are sent to different parts across the country from the district regularly. Sources said flower traders from the neighbouring districts have started visiting the flower market of the area to purchase the item.
Wholesaler Bablu Hossain of Shibganj upazila said he had earned a profit of Tk 0.2 million last year. He expects more this year, he added.
"I have a flower nursery on 12 decimals of land nearby Mohasthan Bazar. I expect make over Tk 0.3 million this season," said Humayun Kabir of Gokul village.
Sub-assistance agriculture officer of DAE Faridur Rahman said varieties of flower grow in the district round the year. Growers generally earn a handsome amount of money every season.
Meanwhile, BSS adds: In Rajshahi, flower farming has gradually been increasing commercially in the region including its vast Barind tract as the growers are getting good yield and price.
In the current season, farmers cultivated different varieties of flower including gladiolus, marigold, rose, tube-rose and gerbera in Godagari, Kakonhat, Mundumala, Tanore, Amnura, Nachole, Gomostapur, Sapahar, Porsha, Niamatpur and other adjoining areas.
Officials of the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) said the farmers have been cultivating flower here as they are getting lucrative market price.
Kayum Ali, a farmer of Gopalpur village under Godagari upazila, has changed his fate after cultivating gladiolus flower.
In 2012, he made profit through cultivating flower on ten decimals of land first taking suggestion and cooperation of sub-assistant agriculture officer Ashraful Islam.
"I have brought one and half bighas of land under the flower farming with expenditure of around Tk 25,000 this year," Kayum said, adding that he sold flower worth Tk 0.18 million.
"I am hopeful over making profit of around Tk 0.18 million in a season and increasing the acreage in the years to come", he said with smiling face.
Upazila Agriculture Officer Shafiqul Islam said soil and environment of Barind area is suitable for flower farming. There is enormous scope of boosting flower yield if timely irrigation and fertilisation was ensured, he added.
He told the news agency that the DAE has adopted necessary measures for imparting trainings to farmers for expansion of flower farming in the region.
Deb Dulal Dhali, deputy director of DAE, said there is a big market for flowers in Rajshahi, Chapainawabganj and other neighbouring districts.
Gladiolus sticks of different colours like white, red, yellow, scarlet, pink, violet, rosy, lipstick and blue are grown in the same plot, flower growers said. The flower is harvested within 70 days and grows all over the year, they added.
Business leaders and agriculturists have suggested boosting cultivation of indigenous flowers to reduce dependence on import as the demand of flowers has recently been increased sharply in the region.