Veg farming on floating beds gains popularity in Gopalganj

GOPALGANJ, Sept 25: Vegetable cultivation on floating beds is gaining popularity in the district.
Some 3,500 farmers across the district are now growing varieties of vegetable on such land.
According to the sources of the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE), a total of 480 hectares of floating land have been brought under vegetable cultivation.
Growers are getting good yield and making handsome profit, sources added.
Farming of red spinach, bottle gourd, okra, pumpkin, radish, arum, coriander leaf, turmeric, bean, carrot and tomato on floating beds is now a common scenario in the area.
Provash Bala of Gobra village under Sadar upazila said he is cultivating vegetables on floating bed.
He said it is not necessary to use chemical fertiliser and pesticides on such land.
The farmer said the floating land can be used three consecutive years for crop production.
Md Mizanur Rahan, upazila agriculture officer of Gopalganj Sadar, said vegetable cultivation on floating land can be an additional source of income.
Landless grassroots farmers may adopt the modern method for vegetable farming in the rainy season, he added.
Under the method, a vegetable cultivator spend around Tk 4,000 to Tk 4,500 for a decimal of land but the return can be Tk 8,000 to Tk 9,000, the official added.

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