Vegetable farming elevates fates of Rangpur farmers

RANGPUR, May 07: Farmers of eight upazilas in the district are earning handsome profits by cultivating different vegetables this season.

According to the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), farmers prefer cultivating vegetables due to good profits.

Use of modern technology has also enhanced the production of vegetables significantly, sources said.

Around 13,600 hectares of land have been brought into vegetable cultivation in the district, they added.

Different vegetables such as eggplant, cucumber, ladies finger, bitter gourd, arum, pumpkin, pointed gourd, bottle gourd, snake gourd and yard-long bean grow aplenty in the district.

Traders from different parts of the country come here and purchase the vegetables and transport them to their respective areas, the DAE added.

Besides, cultivation of vegetables has also gained popularity in char areas as well.

A good number of extreme poor people, especially landless farmers, are getting financially solvent by cultivating vegetables on char land.

Farmers who once used to cultivate wheat, jute and some other crops on their fields are now cultivating vegetables due to good profits.

Rubel Mia, a vegetable grower of Haragachh area under Kaunia Upazila in the district, told The Financial Express that he has brought 42 decimals of land under pointed-gourd cultivation this season and earned Tk 25,000.

He is also expecting more dividends during the remaining part of this season. Many farmers have eliminated the curse of poverty by growing vegetables, he added.

Sobhan Mia, another farmer of Ranipukur area under Mithapukur upazila, told The FE, "I have cultivated yard-long bean on my 40 decimals of farmland this season instead of wheat as I could not make satisfactory profit from wheat farming last year."

He has also got satisfactory output from selling the produce so far and is quite optimistic of making handsome profit by selling the produce in the market during rest of the season, he further said.

Ahidul, a farmer at Ikorchali area under Taraganj upazila, said he has already earned Tk 24,000 by cultivating okra on 45 decimals of land.

"Due to early harvest they are getting huge profits from vegetables."

Ashraful, a farmer at Nabdiganj village under Pirgachha Upazila, said, "I have already earned Tk 22,000 by growing bitter gourd on 35 decimals of my land."

"I have also used eco-friendly pheromone trap to control pest instead of pesticides. The demand for such poison-free vegetables is higher," he added.

Ekramul, a trader from Dhaka, said he can buy adequate fresh vegetables from different markets of Rangpur district at reasonable prices.

Considering abundant yield, vegetable growers of the district urged the government to take necessary steps for the preservation of huge quantity of vegetables to ensure good price of vegetables throughout the year.

Talking to The FE, agriculturist Md Enamul Haque said owing to good profits, peasants are showing eagerness to cultivate vegetables.

Cultivators are also given necessary advice and technical support from DAE officials so that they can get expected yield of their produces, he added.

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