BSS, Narsingdi :
Bean cultivation is gaining popularity in char areas of the district as its good yield brings smile on poor people’s face. A large number of farmers in the char areas are involved in been cultivation in the recent years considering its economic aspect.
Farmers usually cultivate bean on abandoned lands and on the premises of the house as many used to cultivate bean on commercial basis.
Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) sources said over 1200 hectares of land have been brought under bean cultivation in the district as a lot of farmers have changed their fortune by growing bean.
Farmers are now seen collecting bean from their fields with much enthusiasm.
Farmers said they have improved their livelihoods and economic condition through homestead vegetable gardening specially bean cultivation.
They said five to six maunds of bean might be plucked from one bigha of land in a week.
During the season ranging from Bangla month Kartik to Fulgon, bean may be plucked 80 to 100 times from a land.
At the beginning of the season, bean is sold at exorbitant prices. But, gradually the price comes down with adequate supply.
Cage fish farming brings fortune for many youths: Fish farming in cages, a new devised technology of fish firming invented by scientists, has changed many youth’s life and brought fortune for them in the district.
District Fisheries office sources said a significant number of youths in Narsingdi Sadar, Raipura and Monohardi upazilas have been farming Monosex Tilapia fish in the floating cages in the Meghna river and its branches for last 10 years.
Other than Meghna river, some youths of Monohardi upazila have been farming the same fish in the floating cages in Arialkha river for the last seven to eight years due to its economic prospect.
Raihan Sarker of Dattapara area in Narsingdi Pourashava first started fish farming in cages in Meghna river since 2011 with only four cages on experiment.
After getting positive results, he then expanded cage fish farming. At present, he is farming fish in 150 cages and every four month he produced 300 to 400 kgs fish from each cage.
Seeing the success of Raihan with the support of local fisheries department, currently over 350 youths has been successfully farming Tilapia and other fishes in 820 cages in Sadar, Raipura and Monohardi upazilas.
District Fisheries officer said fish farming in cages has opened up a new chapter in fisheries sector.
He said cage fish farming is more profitable as a fish farmer from one cage sized 10 feet length, 10 feet wide and 6 feet high can produce 400-500 kgs Tilapia fish every four months. Tilapia is being sold at taka 100-110 per kg in the local whole sale fish market, he said.
He added a fish farmer can make profit one lakh taka by one cage in a year on an average easily.
The fisheries officer also said the fish farming in cages has brought a revolutionary change in the rural economy of Narsingdi district and it creates employment of rural people fulfilling the demand of nutrition.
