Mustard harvest is going on in full swing in the district though the farmers apprehend they would not get the fair price for their produce.
A good number of peasants said they want to complete mustard harvest as soon as possible as the same land will be come under the production of Boro paddy. "We have been suffering from extreme labour shortage to do the work", they added.
The Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) office sources said over 45,000 hectares of land were brought under the farming of mustard in the district this season, of them crop harvest of around 34,400 hectares of land have been completed.
DAE officials said cultivators of the district cultivated recorded amount of mustard this season. They are expecting a bumper output of the oil crop.
Farmers generally get six to seven maunds of mustard from a bigha of land.
Per maund of mustard is sold at Tk 2,200 to Tk 2500 in the market.
DAE official sources said many cultivators are losing interest in mustard production for low market price and high production cost.
"I have cultivated BARI-2 mustered on 43 decimals of land spending Tk 95,000," said farmer Mukles Uddin under Khetlal upazila. "I have already harvested all of them and got only five maunds of yield", he added.
Deputy Director of DAE Meshabah Uddin said government should take effective measures to expand mustard production across the country. Growers should be ensured a fair market price of their hard-earned produce to make crop more popular among the cultivators.
