Farmers of Bogra happy over off-seasonal tomato yield

Our Correspondent

BOGRA Sep 19: Off-seasonal tomato cultivation has brought financial solvency to the farmers of Bogra this season as the concerned officials provided agri-imputs and standard quality of seed among the growers from last July.

Both, the officials and the growers are expecting a bumper production of off-seasonal crops for favourable climatic conditions in the district including twelve upazilas.

The Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) has set a target of bringing around 30 hectares of land in twelve upazilas of the districts during the current season but the farmers cultivated the crop on 35 hectares of land.

Besides the DAE, various other research and development organisations and a number of NGOs have taken adequate steps in collaboration with other departments this season to achieve the production targets.

A successful tomato cultivator Mamunur Rashid, 45, of Sadullapur vilaage under Shibjonj upazila got financial solvency from the crop in this season selling it in local market.

He told the Financial Express, "I have brought 40 acres of land under Bari hybrid-4 tomato cultivation with the help of a local NGO spending Tk 6400 and I have already earned Tk 25, 000 from the crop. Rest of the tomato may be sold at Tk 20,000 if the weather condition and price remain favourable."

While visiting this correspondent found, the cash crop is now growing well everywhere in the district including its vast Barind tract predicting a bumper productions and the farmers are passing busy time rearing the cash crops from early in the morning until evening.

Harvesting of the crops has already begun and the farmers will bring the same land under onion, garlic and mustard farming after completion of harvests of the crop. Besides tomato, the farmers of the district also produce huge surplus quantities of rice, potato, maize, vegetables.

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