BOGURA, Sept 12: Ginger cultivation is expanding in the district due to repeated bumper production and fair market prices.
The Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) official sources said, "We have fixed a target to bring some 400 hectares of land under ginger farming this season but it is being cultivated over 450 hectares of land across the district."
A good number of farmers in Dupchanchia, Sonatola, Sherpur, Dhunot, Shibganj and Sadar upazilas under the district have attained financial solvency by growing the spice crop last year.
Sources said growers need Tk 13,000 to Tk 15,000 to cultivate the item on a bigha of land and over 17 maunds of yield from the same land.
Each maund of ginger is being sold at Tk 3,000 to Tk 3,200 in the retail market while the wholesale rate is between Tk 2,800 and Tk 2,900.
Anowar Hossain of Shibganj upazila said he is producing ginger on five decimals of land spending Tk 10,000.
The grower expects to earn Tk 35,000 from the produce.
In a recent visit in Sukhangari village under Dupchanchia upazila this correspondent found the farmers were passing busy time in their fields with an expectation to reap a good yield.
Farmer Mazibur Rahman of Sukhangari village said a bumper yield can be possible if weather remains favourable until the final harvest.
Deputy director of DAE Protul Chandra Sarker said ginger cultivation is popular among the grassroots cultivators in the district.
