GAIBANDHA, Jun 28 (BSS): Successfully produced summer gourd has ushered in new hope for the farmers of Sadullapur upazila and its neighboring areas in the district as it has benefited the growers economically.
The harvest of summer gourd has been progressing fast for 15 days last amid much enthusiasm and zeal to the growers.
Office sources said Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) took second crops diversification project in 52 upazilas including Sadullapur across the country in 2010.
The objective of the project was to motivate the farmers to farm high value crops, fruits, spices and vegetables to help them earn economical profit to change their socio-economic condition and achieve country's food security.
Accordingly, the officials of Sadullapur upazila agriculture office inspired the farmers of the upazila to farm summer gourd in April this year.
In response, a total of 33 farmers of the upazila cultivated summer gourd on their high and medium high land for the first time and they were able to produce summer gourd successfully.
Earlier, the agri officials provided high quality seeds and training and other technological support to the growers to make the farming a grand success in the upazila.
Lavlu Mondal, a farmer of South Bhangamore village of the upazila, said he farmed gourd on a bigha of land in April and within two months, all the plants of the summer gourd went into flowering stage.
Till Thursday, he earned Taka 40,000 through selling summer Gourd. He was expecting to earn more Taka 60,000 from the farming during the current season while the cost of the farming was only 20,000, he said.
Another farmer Fahima Khatun of Pacharbazar area under Bhatgram union of the upazila said many enthusiastic farmers of far-flung areas were coming to exchange their views with her on how she farmed summer gourd successfully.
Upazila agriculture officer Obaidur Rahman Mondal said at first, the farmers were not interested to farm summer gourd as they thought gourd was produced only in winter season. Now, a large number of farmers were coming the upazila office to collect seeds in a bid to farm it on their land, he added.
Regional project manager Mostafizur Rahman said initiatives had been taken to farm summer tomato and summer bean in the upazila during the current season side by side with cultivating tube rose, gladiolus and Malta fruit under the project.
Deputy Director of DAE Mir Abdur Razzak said necessary measures had been taken to expand the farming in other parts of the district in the next seasons to meet the demand of vegetables and make the growers self-reliant.
