Sunflower farming gains popularity in dists

PANCHAGARH, Feb 14 (BSS): The sunflower cultivation has exceeded its target fixed by the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) in the district this season as its cultivation has been gaining popularity among the farmers.

The DAE has fixed the target of sunflower cultivation on five hectares of land in all five upazilas of the district. But its cultivation has exceeded this target.

Deputy director of DAE Md Mizanur Rahman told the news agency that the sunflower cultivation is lucrative and less expensive. About 8 maunds of sunflower seed is produced from one bigha of land while initiatives are underway to create market for selling sunflower seeds, he said.Sunflower oil is very useful for human body as at least 400 gram oil come from one kilogram of sunflower seed.

The DAE distributed 20 kilogram of sunflower seed among 38 farmers free of cost. The sunflower cultivation has a bright possibility in the district as the weather and soil are conducive for its cultivation here.

BSS adds from Chapainawabganj: A total of 240 bighas of land have been brought under sunflower cultivation in the district this year. This is for the first time, farmers are cultivating sunflower in char areas of Sadar and Shibganj upazilas and there is a huge potential for cultivation of sunflower in the district as a surplus of agricultural production, deputy director of the Department of DAE Md. Nazrul Islam said.

Sunflower has been cultivated on 210 bighas of land in six unions of Sadar upazila and 30 bighas in four unions of Shibganj upazila.

One kg of seed was given to each of the 240 small and marginal farmers of the district as incentive from the DAE, he further added.

At the cultivation of sunflower all the fallow lands would be used and sunflower cultivation is easier, cheaper and more profitable because it requires less irrigation and small amount of fertiliser, he said.