Massive garlic farming at Chalanbeel in Pabna

PABNA, Dec 17: After the paddy harvest, garlic is being cultivated on the same land without tillage in Chalanbeel and some other places of the district this season.

According to the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), a vast tract of land has been brought into garlic cultivation with a massive production target.

The regional agriculture office says that as many as 39,604 hectares of land have been brought into garlic cultivation in eight districts.

Garlic is being cultivated on 18,200 hectares in Natore, 9,632 hectares in Pabna, 5,520 hectares in Rajshahi, 765 hectares in Naogaon, 3,700 hectares in Chapainawabganj, 600 hectares in Bogura, 287 hectares in Joypurhat and 900 hectares in Sirajganj.

However, this year the overall cost of garlic cultivation has increased than that of other years.

Despite an increase in garlic cultivation cost, farmers are interested more in its farming due to its good profit.

This year, the cost for garlic cultivation on one bigha of land is about Tk 53,000, but last year, it was nearly Tk 42,000.

Some farmers from Chalanbeel - Harun or Rashid, SK Monirul Islam, Abed Ali, Abu Ansari and Helal Uddin - have told The FE that most farmers cultivated garlic after taking loan.

If weather remains favourable, farmers say, they expect a bumper garlic yield and good profit.

Monirul Islam, a farmer from Chhaikola area of Chatmohar upazila, said that currently, garlic seeds are being sold at Tk 220 per kg. Garlic cloves are being planted in rows without tillage in muddy soil.

"A labourer earns Tk 400-450 per day for this work. Rice straw is spread over the planted garlic. Garlic can be harvested about 125 days after planting," he adds.

Shahinur Rahman from the same village said that every year, paddy is damaged by floods in this area. To recoup the loss, we cultivate garlic at a low cost.

"This year, we have cultivated garlic on 12 bighas of land. If everything goes well, we hope to get a good yield and profit.

Haider Ali, another farmer from Kanchimara area, said that due to the good yield of cash crop garlic, farmers in this region plant garlic every year.

And it costs Tk 23,000-25,000 to cultivate each bigha of land. If weather remains favourable, about 38-40 maunds of garlic will be harvested per bigha, which market price is about Tk 60,000-70,000.

Labourers Ainal, Khalek, Zahir, Abeda Khatun, Umed Ali told the FE that planting garlic is a hard work. Garlic cloves have to be cut first and then planted in the mud soil in the sun.

Sarkar Shafiuddin, additional director at the DAE in Bogura, told The FE, "Garlic cultivation has become popular in the northern region."

Due to its high price, farmers are cultivating garlic in different places, including Chalanbeel area, on a large scale, he added.

Official sources said the country would produce half of its total demand for garlic and the dependency on garlic import will come down.

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