RANGPUR, May 05: The teasel gourd (kakrol) cultivators across the district are hopeful about achieving an excellent yield during the current season due to a congenial weather condition.
Sources said that harvesting of the vegetable has already begun across the region and the growers have been earning a good profit from selling their produce in markets since very beginning of the season.
Teasel gourd is cultivated at Chhawla, Deuti and Nabdiganj under Pirgachha upazila; Paschim Mandrain and Changmari under Gangachara; Pairaband, Boiragiganj and Ranipukur under Mithapukur; Baniapara and Alampur under Taraganj; and Keshobpur and Palichara under Sadar upazila.
According to sources, teasel gourd growers under the district have been getting a good output for the last several years, as a result its cultivation is on the increase across the region.
Due to good profit peasants are showing interest in the cultivation of different vegetables including teasel gourd than cultivation of some other crops, sources said.
Hasanur, a farmer at Palichara village under Rangpur Sadar upazila told the FE that he cultivated teasel gourd on 40 decimals of land during this season.
He has already begun harvesting of the vegetable and is delighted due to its higher market price.
The farmers are also cultivating different varieties of vegetables including kakrol without using any pesticides, sources said.
The growers are using eco-friendly pheromone trap instead of pesticide to save their vegetable fields from pest attack, the sources also said.
According to the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) Rangpur official sources, the soil of many areas in the district is very much suitable for vegetable farming, so it is being cultivated in plenty in many areas.
Farmers have been also earning good profit from cultivation of kakrol and some other vegetables in recent years.
DAE sources said the growers are given necessary advices and assistances by the DAE officials so that they can enhance vegetable production.
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