Chuadanga marginal farmers gain solvency from cultivating Napier grass

CHUADANGA, Aug 2: Many framers including marginal ones in four upazilas of the district have become solvent financially through cultivating Napier grass on their lands in recent years.   

District livestock office sources said a total of 302 acres of land has been brought under Napier cultivation this year in four upazilas of the district. Of them 95 acres of land has been fixed under Napier cultivation in Chuadanga sadar upazila, 55 acres of land in Alamdanga upazila, 105 acres of land in Damurhuda upazila & 47 hectares of land in Jibonnagar upazila.

District livestock officials said they distributed Napier grass from district goat's firm premises free of cost and encouraged the farmers and provided training to grow more grass as the climate and soil of the district very suitable for the grass cultivation.

Many marginal and educated youths in the district those who achieved self reliance and changed their lot through the Napier cultivation during the last few years and are being highly keen in cultivation the grass.

Farmers of Chuadanga sadar upazila, Alamdanga, Damurhuda, and Jibonnagar have been cultivating the Napier grass commercially.

Masum Mia, Napier grass cultivator of village Karpasdanga under Damurhuda upazila said "I have cultivated the grass on my 12 bighas of land spending only Tk 48000.  I have been gaining good profit through cultivating the grass on commercial basis for the last several years."

Napier grass is being sold at Tk 5 to 6 per Ati (Gochha) in the local markets and it is meeting fodder crisis in the district and many farmers are becoming benefited economically selling the grass to cow rearing men in the district.