Rangpur farmers happy with good red spinach yield

RANGPUR, Dec 23: Rangpur farmers are happy with the satisfactory yield and good profit from the cultivation of red spinach in this Rabi season.

According to vegetable farmers, the cultivation process of leafy vegetables takes less quantity of fertilisers and pesticides compared to many other vegetables.

Talking to the FE, some growers said around Tk 12,000 to Tk 14,000 is required to cultivate red spinach on a bigha of land, from which Tk 20,000 to Tk 25,000 profit can be generated easily. At the beginning of the season, red spinach was sold at exorbitant prices in markets. Subsequently, the price declined with ample supply, the farmers also said.

Monwarul, a farmer of Ranipukur in Mithapukur Upazila under Rangpur district, said he has been cultivating red spinach on his land for the past several years and earning satisfactory profits. This year he has cultivated the vegetable on 42 decimals (1.27 bigha) of land and earned a net profit of Tk 7,000 so far. He is optimistic of achieving more profit in the rest of the season. At the beginning of harvesting, per kg red spinach was sold at Tk 40 to Tk 45 in markets and presently it is being sold at Tk 20 to Tk 25 per kg, he also said. He said he has also cultivated some other vegetables besides red spinach.

A good number of vegetables growers expressed their satisfaction over the financial

benefit they get by farming red spinach alongside cultivating other vegetables.

According to sources from the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), Rangpur, commercial cultivation of leafy vegetables is on the rise in the region owing to huge demands and profit.

Sources said that earlier, most of the farmers of the Rangpur agricultural region - comprising Rangpur, Kurigram, Gaibandha, Lalmonirhat and Nilphamari districts - cultivated different leafy vegetables, including the red spinach, on a limited basis just to meet local demands.

But the scenario has changed now as, in recent years, the farmers are cultivating leafy vegetables commercially and supplying their produce to different parts of the country, including Dhaka.

DAE, Rangpur Additional Director Sirazul Islam said the department has set a target to produce about 1.12 million tonnes of winter vegetables from 42,130 hectares of land in the five districts under Rangpur agriculture region. DAE also helps the growers by providing them with necessary suggestions and agricultural inputs. Early harvest ensures a good profit, he added.

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