Tomato production faces setback in Rajshahi
Thursday, 9 December 2010
Md Mazadul Hoque Back from Rajshahi
Tomato production in greater Rajshahi region was not satisfactory this year due to seed problem, unfavourable weather, and farmers' lack of adequate knowledge about cultivation.
Khair, a farmer of Godagari upazilla, told the FE that every year they obtain 60 to 70 maunds of tomato from per bigha land, but this year the production has reduced by nearly half than the previous years. He also emphasised changing of crops on the same land every year, otherwise the production will not increase.
Syngenta, one of the country's leading seed suppliers, sell tomato seeds named Sobol, Safol, Bipul, Hitom and Sati to the farmers. They usually purchase Sobol tomato seeds from Syngenta, but this year the farmers blamed mixing of seeds for poor production.
Besides, the farmers bought seeds from the Syngenta dealers at a cost of Tk 350 per 'pata' (10 gm), but this year the price of seeds was Tk 780 (20 gm).
Moklasur Rahman, another tomato cultivator, told the FE that last year he made Tk 40,000 profit by cultivating tomato in two bighas of land through investing Tk 60,000.
"I bought tomato seeds from a Syngenta dealer to cultivate five bighas of land this year, but now I am in dire straits for not getting expected production."
He also blamed seed problem for the setback this year.
Normally the processing of tomato seeds starts from early-October, and the crop is harvested after two months. The cost of per bigha tomato production is Tk 20,000 to Tk 22,000.
However, Rabiul, a Syngenta dealer of Godagari, said it requires temperature below 20 degree Celsius for tomato production, but this season the farmers planted seeds much earlier at more than 30 degree Celsius temperature to get higher prices, which ultimately hampered the production.
This year a total of 8,000 hectares of land have been brought under tomato cultivation in Rajshahi division, of which nearly 4,000 hectares were in Godagari upazilla. But the total outcome of tomato production is bleak.
Yunus Ali, additional director of Department of Agricultural Extension of Rajshahi, told the FE that the department would soon start probe into poor harvest of tomato in the region.
Tomato production in greater Rajshahi region was not satisfactory this year due to seed problem, unfavourable weather, and farmers' lack of adequate knowledge about cultivation.
Khair, a farmer of Godagari upazilla, told the FE that every year they obtain 60 to 70 maunds of tomato from per bigha land, but this year the production has reduced by nearly half than the previous years. He also emphasised changing of crops on the same land every year, otherwise the production will not increase.
Syngenta, one of the country's leading seed suppliers, sell tomato seeds named Sobol, Safol, Bipul, Hitom and Sati to the farmers. They usually purchase Sobol tomato seeds from Syngenta, but this year the farmers blamed mixing of seeds for poor production.
Besides, the farmers bought seeds from the Syngenta dealers at a cost of Tk 350 per 'pata' (10 gm), but this year the price of seeds was Tk 780 (20 gm).
Moklasur Rahman, another tomato cultivator, told the FE that last year he made Tk 40,000 profit by cultivating tomato in two bighas of land through investing Tk 60,000.
"I bought tomato seeds from a Syngenta dealer to cultivate five bighas of land this year, but now I am in dire straits for not getting expected production."
He also blamed seed problem for the setback this year.
Normally the processing of tomato seeds starts from early-October, and the crop is harvested after two months. The cost of per bigha tomato production is Tk 20,000 to Tk 22,000.
However, Rabiul, a Syngenta dealer of Godagari, said it requires temperature below 20 degree Celsius for tomato production, but this season the farmers planted seeds much earlier at more than 30 degree Celsius temperature to get higher prices, which ultimately hampered the production.
This year a total of 8,000 hectares of land have been brought under tomato cultivation in Rajshahi division, of which nearly 4,000 hectares were in Godagari upazilla. But the total outcome of tomato production is bleak.
Yunus Ali, additional director of Department of Agricultural Extension of Rajshahi, told the FE that the department would soon start probe into poor harvest of tomato in the region.