Farmers are making a substantial profit from the early winter variety spinach in Bogura district thanks to a bumper yield and fair market price of the vegetable.
They are selling each kilogram of spinach at Tk70 to Tk 90 in the retail market and at Tk 60 to Tk 65 in the wholesale markets across the district.
Wholesalers from adjacent districts are purchasing the vegetable from the marginal farmers and sending it to Dhaka and other districts.
According to the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), a target was set to cultivate early winter variety spinach on around 1,300 hectares of land in all 12 upazilas of the district during the current season but the farmers cultivated the crop on 1,350 hectares.
To make a remarkable success of the farming, Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation (BADC) and many NGOs have taken adequate measures in collaboration with other departments.
Farmers are using organic fartilisers instead of chemical fartilisers following advices of the authorities concerned.
While visiting different areas, this correspondent found the farmers taking care of their spinach fields with a fervent desire to get a good yield.
Some farmers were removing weeds from inside the spinach fields.
"I have brought some 12 decimals of land under spinach cultivation this season spending Tk 9,400 in last September with the assistance of the agriculture department, expecting a sizable income from the produce," said farmer Sultan Ali hailing from Shibganj upazila of the district.
Deputy Director of the DAE, Bogura Md Dulal Hossain said this district holds immense potential to grow vegetables, including spinach.
The DAE authorities gives focus on using the latest agro-technologies to grow vegetables, the DD added.
