Sunflower farming gains ground in Khulna

KHULNA, Apr 4 (BSS): Sunflower (scientific name Helianthus annuus) farming has started gaining popularity among the farmers, as the nutritious oilseed brings good profit for the farmers in Batiaghata Upazila of the district.

Farmers in the district have been attracted in cultivating sunflower due to bumper output of the oilseed for the past several years, as the soil and weather of the district are favourable for its production.

The Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) sources said a vast area of land is being brought under sunflower farming in the district every year owing to satisfactory yield of the crop.

Deputy Director of the DAE in Khulna Kazi Anisuzzaman said farmers can attain financial solvency within a short time through sunflower cultivation.

The DAE and Brac, a non-government organisation (NGO), are jointly encouraging farmers to cultivate sunflower by giving up traditional crops.

The Brac is providing technical and financial support to the farmers for sunflower cultivation in several areas, said Mizanur Rahman, senior manager of Brac Agriculture and Food Security Programme in Batiaghata Upazila.

A total of 1,070 acres of land has been brought under sunflower cultivation until the current session. The cultivation period starts in between November and December and harvesting period continues from March to early April.

Some 380 farmers cultivated the oilseed on 270 acres of land under 20 blocks under the Brac in Batiaghata Upazila, he added.

"We also impart training and other logistic supports to the farmers and our farming areas also include Surkhali, Jalma, Ganga-rampur in Batighata Upazila in the district, said Mizanur Rahman.

While visiting Mohammadnagar village under the upazila, Basob Nandi, a sunflower farmer, told the news agency that he gets 30-35 maunds of sunflower seed from per acre land and each maund of seed from per acre land is being sold at Tk 1650-Tk 1700 in the market.

It is possible to get 15-16 litres of oil from each maund of seed, the sunflower farmer added.

Hamid Mia, a farmer of Jalma village of the upazila, told the news agency, last year he cultivated sunflower on his land and earned Tk 20,000 as net profit. He is expecting Tk 30,000 as profit this season.

Another farmer Hafizur Rahman of Mohammad-nagar village said he got bumper production this year and is expecting a good profit.

The DAE sources said planting sunflower has been a wonderful agricultural practice to utilise the fallow lands as it can tolerate high salinity and can grow well in saline lands.