Fair market rate delights Bogra bitter gourd farmers

BOGRA, Oct 21: Hundreds of poor and marginal farmers of the district are satisfies over the present market prices of bitter gourd this season.
The Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) official said the growers of all the 12 upazilas have brought over 320 hectares of land under bitter gourd farming.
Sources said favourable weather condition and timely supply of necessary agri-input from the DAE have ensured a good output of the vegetable.
In a recent visit in different areas of the district this correspondent found the peasants were passing busy time to rear the vegetable lands. Some cultivators were plucking and sorting out to sell those in the local markets.
Local vegetable traders said growers sell the vegetable at Tk 2000 to Tk 2200 per maund to the wholesalers.
Sub-assistance agriculture officer Azizar Rahman said growers spent Tk 10,000 to 11,000 for farming bitter gourd on one bigha of land and got around 20 to 22 maunds of yield. Bitter gourd farming is a profitable venture, he added.
Bitter gourd cultivation generally starts in August. The Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation (BADC) provides quality seeds to the growers. The harvest begins from the last September and it continues till December.
Deputy Director of DAE Protul Chandra Sarker said growers have shown more interest to bring new croplands under bitter gourd farming.
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