KURIGRAM, Oct 26: Hundreds of farmers of the district have brought a vast tract of land under cultivation of winter vegetables this season with assistance of local agriculture offices.
According to the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), farmers had brought some 6440 hectares of land under winter vegetable cultivation against 6334 hectare last year and attained self-reliant. They are optimistic to bring around 7000 hectares of land in this year, DAE added.
"I have brought over 23 decimal of land under winter vegetable cultivation this season spending Tk 2400 to pay seed, fartiliser and labour cost ," said farmer Mobarak Hossain,34, under sadar upazila of the district. "If the weather remains favourable till December, I will make Tk 12000 as profit." he added.
Sub-assistance agriculture officers of DAE said, 'We have provided all sorts of necessary agri-inputs among the farmer to make the programme a success."
Cultivators are now passing busy time on their croplands and taking care of the plants.
Meanwhile, Rajshahi Krishi Unnayon Bank, other banks and NGOs have already distributed agriculture loans among the growers.
Deputy director of DAE Makbul Hossain said favourable weather, availability of high-yielding seeds and other necessary inputs help farmers to bring more lands under the farming of winter vegetables.
"Cultivation of seasonal vegetable is profitable. We encourage farmers to bring more lands under winter vegetable production", he added.
Our Gopalganj correspondent adds: About five hectares of vegetable land in five upazilas of the district have been damaged due to recent rainfall.
Samir Kumar Goshwami, deputy director (Agriculture), Gopalganj said varieties of vegetables worth Tk 0.75 million have been damaged in the recent heavy rain.
About 34 hectares of land have been brought under vegetable cultivation in the district this season, the official added.
Neel Ratan Mondal, a vegetable farmer of Raghunathpur village under Sadar upazila, said he cultivated red spinach (Lalshak) on one bigha of land spending Tk 20,000. "But the recent rainfall damaged my vegetable completely", he added.
Sukchand Biswas, another farmer of Mitro Danga village under Jawria union of Tungipara upazila, said his 26 decimals of spinach land have been damaged.
He said his total production cost was Tk 12,000, but he did not able to earn any from the land.