BOGURA, Jan 24: Flower farmers of Bogura district are passing busy time to supply large quantities of flowers for celebrating February 21 with much fervour.
They are expecting to grow flowers worth Tk 20 million for this peak period. A good number of extreme poor farmers of the region mostly depend on flower farming round the year but they wait for this national occasion.
With the farming a good number farmers in Shibganj, Shajahanpur, Serpur and Sadar upzilas have become self-reliant growing differentkinds of flowers.
They were mostly dependent on paddy, vegetable and crops cultivation to meet their family expenditure few years back. Now, they are making money from flower farming as the demand of the items is increasing gradually elsewhere the country.
"I am expecting over Tk 0.1 million profit this season growing rose, tuberose, chanpa, mug flower, jasmine and gandhajoba flower in my 12 decimal land," said farmer Monowarul Islam under Sadar upazila. "I had made over Tk 0.1 million profit last year from the flowers." he added.
On the other hand, Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) is supporting the farmers providing all sort of agri-based necessary input to expand the farming in the region. The farmers have also been drawn to flower farming getting repeated plenteous production and lucrative market price.
They have been leaning to cultivate flowers across the region as its cultivation has brought financial benefits to the poor and marginal farmers, said Sub-assistant Agriculture Officer Faridur Rahman.
During a recent visit the correspondent found the farmers are taking care of the flower orchard enduring acute adverse weather condition from the very early in the morning to late at night. Meanwhile around 400 male and female workers are engaged in the activity.
The wholesalers are giving advance money among the poor farmers to produce different sort of flowers, said president of Flower Garden Owners Association. Flowers are sold round the year but February 21. Independence Day, Valentine's Day, Victory Day and Nation Children Day. These are red letter days for the growers.
DAE official said we have provided necessary incentives among the flower growers round the year. The flower farmers of the district meet a substantial portion of the demand of the country, he added.
