Md. Emdadul Haque, Dupchanchia :
Harvesting of summer bean successfully produced in Dupchanchia upazila of Bogra district here for the first time, has been continuing for a few days amid much enthusiasm to the growers.
The harvest of the bean has also usher in hope to the locals to farm it in next seasons as the growers are earning much economical benefit by selling the variety at fair prices to the local markets.
According to sources, Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) introduced second crops diversification project in 52 upazilas including Dupchanchia across the country in 2010. The objective of the project was to motivate the farmers to farm high value crops, fruits, spices and vegetable to help earn economical profit through selling the produces to change their socio-economic condition and achieve country’s food security. Accordingly, the officials of upazila agriculture office inspired the farmers of the upazila to farm summer bean in June this year. In response, a total of 34 farmers of the upazila cultivated summer bean on their high and medium high land for the first time and then, they were able to produce it successfully.
Earlier, the agri officials provided high quality seed and trainings and other technological support to the growers to make the farming a grand success in the upazila. Samsul Islam, a farmer of Pota village of the upazila, said he farmed summer bean on 1 bigha of land this year being motivated by the officials of upazaila agriculture office. All the plants grew well on his land and the harvest of the bean has been progressing fast for 15 days last, he said adding that per kg of bean is being sold between TK 70-80 in local markets. Another farmer Abul Kalam Azad of the upazila, said many enthusiastic farmers of far flung areas were coming and exchanging their views with him on how he farmed bean successfully.
Upazila agriculture officer Tahirul Isalm said at first, the farmers were not interested to farm the bean as they thought bean was produced only in winter season.
To see the success of bean farming in summer season, many farmers were crowding his upazila office to collect seed in a bid to farm it on their land, he added. Regional project manager Bazlur Rashid said summer tomato, summer bottle gourd, tube rose, gladiolus and Malta fruit had been produced fruitfully in the upazila in last few years under the project. Deputy Director of DAE Sankor Kumar said pragmatic measures had been taken to expand the farming in farmers’ level in other parts of the upazila in next seasons to meet the demand of vegetable and make the growers self-reliant economically.
