Rangpur farmers joyous over ginger production and price

RANGPUR, Jan 25: Cultivation of ginger has brought smiles on the faces of the farmers of Taraganj Upazila in Rangpur district, as they are getting comparatively more profit through cultivation of the spicy crop.
A good number of farmers who once used to cultivate paddy in their fields are now cultivating ginger as the cultivation of it has become more lucrative than the cultivation of other crops, sources said.   
Disappointed over low price of paddy over last few years, many farmers of the Upazila started cultivation of ginger with new zeal and vigour this season. This time their efforts proved successful as they have already earned windfall profit by selling their produce.
Mozibar, a farmer of Burirhat village under the Upazila, said "I cultivated ginger on my farmlands this season instead of paddy as the low price of the paddy disheartened me last season," he said. "I earned Tk 4 lakh 55 thousand by cultivating ginger on 3 acres of land this season", he said.  
Witnessing his success some other farmers of his village and adjacent villages have become interested in its cultivation on their homesteads and farmlands, he added.
Abdul Mannan, another farmer of Matialpara village under the Upazila, said, last season he had to spend around Tk 14,000 to cultivate paddy on one acre of land. But he earned a net profit of only Tk 16,000 by selling the crop. Being frustrated over the low price of paddy he cultivated ginger on the same land this season and has already earned Tk 1 lakh 50 thousand as net profit. He is quite happy with the profit he earned so far, he further said.      
Upazila DAE officer Samir Chandra said cultivation of ginger has increased in recent times in the Upazila, as it has become more profitable than the cultivation of other crops. The soil of many areas in the Upazila is also suitable for ginger cultivation. A total of 2,032 acres of land have been brought under ginger cultivation in the upazila during the current season, he added.
 

NID-MR campaign
BSS report says: Mayor of Rangpur City Corporation (RCC) and valiant freedom fighter Alhaj Sharfuddin Ahmed Jhantu today stressed for making second round of the 21st National Immunization Day (NID) and Measles-Rubella (MR) Vaccination Campaign-2014 successful.
He said this while launching the NID and MR Vaccination Campaign through administering two drops of oral polio vaccine to some under five year age group babies at Rangpur Lions School & College premises in the city today as the chief guest.
With Civil Surgeon Dr Reajul Islam in the chair, Chief Executive Officer of RCC Alhaj Ruhul Amin Khan, Additional Deputy Commissioner (Education & ICT) Mizanur Rahman and Sadar Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer Dr Shamsul Haque attended the ceremony as the special guests.
RCC Councilors Hafiz Ahmed Chchuttu, Mahbubar Rahman Manju, Acting Principal of the education institution Bula Bhowmick, President of Rangpur Lions Club Enamul Haque Sohel, Health Officer of RCC Abdul Kaiyum, Joint Secretary of City Shop Owners' Association Moazzem Hossain Mithu, businessmen Illias Ali and Ali Hossain Mollah were present.