Tania Parveen of Faridpur has become self-reliant by producing vermicompost, an organic fertiliser. Following her success, many women have come forward to produce vermicompost to change their fortune.
This organic fertiliser refreshes the soil. It has no harmful effect and the price is quite cheap. So farmers also like this fertiliser.
Tania Parveen is a resident of the Sovarampur area of Faridpur municipality. She started producing earthworm manure with a three-ring slab in 2017 in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE). After that, she gradually increased the vermicompost production. There is a huge tin shed on one side of the backyard of her house and 24 basins on the other side. Each basin is four feet by 10 feet in size.
For the production of fertiliser, a mixture of 40 maunds of dung, vegetable leftovers, and banana pieces and 10 kg of earthworms are left in each basin. The basin is then covered with burlap sacks. After keeping it covered for a month, vermicompost manure is made. Thus, a total of one and a half tonnes of fertiliser is produced from 24 tanks of Tania every month. The retail price of fertiliser is Tk 15 per kg and the wholesale price is Tk 12. Excluding expenses, Tania's income is Tk 20 to 25 thousand per month.
The earthworm manure produced by Tania has already become popular among the local farmers. Peasants from different regions are coming to Tania's house to buy fertiliser and take the lesson to cultivate it.
Jewel Mallick, a farmer who uses vermicompost fertiliser, said the fertiliser increases the fertility of the land and also increases the yield. In addition, the price is low. And the price of chemical fertilisers is high and harmful for the plants. For this reason, we are now buying organic fertiliser vermicompost from Tania Parveen and using it in the land. This has also reduced the cost of our farming, he added.
Entrepreneur Tania Parveen said, "I am earning Tk 20 to 25 thousand per month by selling fertilisers." Due to the high demand, production is also continuously increasing. Apart from that, seeing my success, many people in the area have come forward to produce fertiliser in this way. However, government cooperation is also needed for it.
According to the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE), all kinds of cooperation are being provided in the production and sale of this fertiliser.
Faridpur Sadar Upazila Agriculture Officer agriculturist Abul Basar Mia said farmers are being assisted in the production of fertilisers with earthworms. About 300 farmers of Faridpur are producing this fertiliser.
At present, the fertility of the land is declining due to the excessive use of chemical fertilisers. But this environment-friendly fertiliser is playing an important role in maintaining soil health. Besides, the use of chemical fertilisers has decreased and soil fertility, he said.
