Roving Correspondent
JOYPURHAT, Jun 02: Farmers of Akkelpur, Kalai, Pachbibi, Khetlal and Sadar upazilas of the district are getting benefited growing off-season radish this season.
Favourable weather condition and timely supply of necessary agri-input boosts the good yield of the vegetable across the area. Radish generally grows in the winter but well nurture also renders the satisfactory production round the year, sources said.
"I have collected quality seed from the Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) at Tk 800 per kg," said farmer Nazrul Ialam of Khetlal upazila. He further said, "I have already started harvesting the produce."
Each kg of the vegetable is being sold at Tk 20 to Tk 25 in the retail market and Tk 18 to Tk 20 in the wholesale market. The farmers are expecting to steady the market price from the next month if the climate condition remains favourable.
The Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) office sources said the farmers have exceeded target of producing radish in the district this season as they had made a good profit last year. "We have provided necessary agri-input to the farmers to make the farming a success", DAE officials added.
"I have cultivated radish on 15 decimals of land spending Tk 3000 and make a profit Tk 20, 000," said farmer Shahadat Hossain of Pachbibi upazila. He also said, "I will bring more cropland under radish farming next year."
The farmers have planted the seed last March with assistance of local agriculture office. They have started harvesting the vegetable after 120 days of its plantation.
The farmers need not extra cost to produce off-season radish, said sub-assistance agriculture officer Azizar Rahman. But, they need to spray pesticide minimum three times to get fresh yield, he added.
Deputy Director of DAE Sudhundranath Roy said the farmer can grow off-season radish spending trifling money. More than 50 hectares of land has been brought under off-seasonal radish cultivation this season, he added.
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