Sunflower cultivation has marked a rise in the greater Sylhet region in recent times. Cultivators are showing their interest in farming the crop for repeated bumper yield.
Besides, with a view to making it more popular in the rural areas, DAE has set up highest 700 demonstration plots of Sunflower in the division this season. Farmers are encouraged to apply modern technology in the crop field so that they could get highest yield.
The interested farmers were given training, seeds and other facilities for the demonstration plots.
Deputy Director of DAE, Sylhet divisional office, Mazumder Md Ilias said the peasants in the region are getting interest with the crop. Soon there would be a large-scale farming of high yielding varieties of sunflower in this region since the soil is suitable for the easy farming of the crop.
Award winning Abdus Sobur Sujam, general secretary of the Mollargaon Common Interest Group (CIG) of farmers in Dakshin Surma upazila of Sylhet, who had set demonstration plot on his 30 decimals of land said, "Farmers of our village can see things on my plot. The officials demonstrate things in presence of peasants of our group and others."
The DAE this season has set 750 demonstration plots from revenue budget, the official said, adding, it includes 150 in Sylhet, 300 in Moulvibazar, 200 in Habiganj and 100 in Sunamganj district. Each of the plots is of 30 decimals, owned by a selected farmer.
However, during the current season sunflower has been cultivated on 35 hectares in Sylhet, 58 hectares in Moulvibazar, 42 hectares in Habiganj and 27 hectares in Sunamganj district, the official said. Normally 3.5 tonnes of the crop is harvested on one hectare land in this region.
