Farmers of char areas getting interested in cultivating sugarcane

RANGPUR, Aug 20: The farmers at different char areas in Rangpur and Lalmonirhat districts are getting interested in cultivating sugarcane on fallow char lands as a result its cultivation is on the rise in the areas in recent years.

Due to good profit a good number of farmers at different char areas of the region have started cultivating sugarcane on their lands instead of other crops, sources further said.

Harvesting of the crop is going on across the region and the growers are much delighted to witness an excellent yield.

Nazrul Mia (50), a sugarcane grower at Char Dhusmara of Kawnia upazila told The Financial Express that he has cultivated the cash crop on one bigha of land this year and is hopeful of attaining handsome profit by selling his produce.

Growers in the area usually cultivate local varieties of sugarcane. Its production could be doubled if modern technology can be applied, he also said. Many other farmers of Char Monnaya, Char Pallimari under the upazila also echoed the same tone.

Motin of Khulaghat char in Lalmonirhat Sadar Upazila said due to flood water their  crops get damaged  every year. The cultivation of sugarcane instead of other crops might save the crops from the risk of flood, they also said. Similarly a number of other farmers of several chars have been cultivating the cash crop and producing molasses with good profit. The panic of losing crops by flood water no longer haunts them, they added.

DAE sources the cash crop has been cultivated on hundreds of acres of char lands under the two districts this year. The farmers living on the bank of river Teesta and Dharla are now farming  the cash crop on their abandoned char lands where cultivation of other crops are not lucrative, sources added.

    [email protected]