Tobacco farming going on unchecked in Rangpur

Our Correspondent | Published: March 15, 2015 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2026 06:01:00

RANGPUR, Mar 14: Cultivation of tobacco, a harmful crop is going on unabated in   Rangpur region, posing serious threat to both public health and environment.
Sources said tobacco farming has increased alarmingly this season in the region, as the farmers are getting interested in its cultivation due to lower production cost than paddy, potato and some other crops and also incentives being given by the tobacco companies to enhance its production.    
According to sources of Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE), Rangpur, tobacco has been cultivated on around 18,300 hectares of land in five districts under Rangpur agriculture region during the current season.     
A good number of tobacco farmers of the region told The Financial Express that they cultivated tobacco on more lands this season than that of last year as some tobacco companies are encouraging them and providing them with incentives in cash and kind to cultivate tobacco massively.
Some of them also said that they have cultivated tobacco this season instead of paddy as the lower market price of the latter disheartened them last year.
Saiful Islam, a tobacco grower of Nazirerhat area in Rangpur Sadar told the FE that he used to cultivate paddy on his land but this season he is cultivating tobacco as the tobacco companies are providing him with necessary inputs and cash incentives.
He said he cultivated tobacco on one acre of land during the current season by spending about Tk 20,000 and is expecting to earn over Tk 50,000 by selling his produce.    He said 20 to 22 maunds of tobacco is expected to be produced from his one acre of land.  
Deputy Director of DAE, Rangpur Zulfikar Haider said tobacco farming has increased this season though they continued motivational campaign against its cultivation.
He further alleged that some tobacco companies give the farmers money in advance and also purchase the produce directly from them which encourage the farmers in cultivating it in a large scale. Tobacco is a kind of crop which is very detrimental to human health as well as environment. Its cultivation also leaves adverse impact on soil fertility, he added.
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