Rangpur farmers find Baukul cultivation lucrative

RANGPUR, Feb 17:  Cultivation of Baukul, a kind of plum, has brought smile on the faces of the cultivators of Rangpur district as it has helped many farmers to improve their financial condition.
Encouraged by good profit and easy cultivation process farmers of the region are getting interested in Baukul cultivation. As a result its cultivation has increased significantly. A good number of farmers of the region have changed their fortune by cultivating this delicious fruit in recent years.
The harvest of the fruit is going on in full swing across the region. Successful cultivation of the fruit has also ushered hopes and aspiration to the other farmers of the region. The farmers are showing much eagerness to cultivate it in the next season.
Abul Kashem (48), a Baukul cultivator of Santospur village at Balua Mashimpur union under Mithapukur upazila in the district told The Financial Express that he has cultivated Baukul on one bigha of land this season spending about Tk 50,000. He has already earned Tk 1, 50,000 by selling his produce. He is expecting to earn more profit during the remaining part of the season. Cultivation of the fruit is more lucrative than the cultivation of crops like paddy, potato, maize etc, he added.    
Moffakharul Islam of Khalaspir area under Pirganj upazila in the district said that he has been cultivating Baukul on his land instead of other crops as its cultivation is more profitable. Once he used to grow other crops in his land but now he is fully engaged in baukul cultivation. Last year he earned Tk 2,50,000 by cultivating the plum on his land. This season he has so far earned Tk over 2 lakh from its sale. Marketing of the fruit is also quite easy. The wholesalers come to growers' place to buy the plum. It can also be sold at different hat and bazars. He has managed to alleviate poverty through its cultivation, he also said.
Cultivation of Baukul is more lucrative and easier than other crops, said Mejbahul Haque, an Agriculture Officer of DAE in Rangpur. Its production cost is also less than many other crops. DAE provided quality saplings and necessary supports to the growers in order to enhance its production, he said.

Enhanced mustard
farming stressed
A BSS report says: Experts at a farmers' field day have stressed for enhanced farming of mustard adopting the new cropping pattern of short duration Aman rice-mustard or potato-mungbean- short duration Aus (pariza) rice to get more profits.
They were addressing the field day organised by RDRS Bangladesh on the occasion of harvesting BARI-14 high yielding variety mustard in village Sarkerpara under Magura union of Sadar upazila in Panchagarh on Sunday afternoon.