Ferdousur Rahman, Bogra
Farmers in six upazilas including Sariakandi and Dhunut upazilas of the district are cultivating early varieties of winter vegetables on their farmland trying to recoup losses incurred in recent flood as the crops comparatively give them more profit.
Officials of the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) said more than 12,300 hectares of land in the district have been brought under cultivation of early winter vegetables like cauliflower, cabbage, radish, carrot, turnip, tomato, leafy spinach and red spinach this year.
Deputy Agriculture Extension (DAE) office of Bogra sources said at least 73,406 farmers were badly affected as their 22,212 hectors of aus, aman crops and vegetables worth around Tk 94 crore got damaged by the recent flood in seven upazilas of the district.
While visiting Lahiripara village under the union of shadar upazila farmer Shafiqul Islam told the New Nation that they successfully produced early winter vegetables on their lands last year and made a good profit and Abdul Zabbar another farmer of Rowadaha village under Chandanbaisha union under Sariakandi upazila told the same speech.
The government has allocated Tk 2,42,66,200 for the rehabilitation of the flood affected farmers in the district. A meeting was held about providing funds for the rehabilitation of the flood affected farmers with Bogra deputy commissioner’s auditorium Karatoa on Wednesday.
DAE officials said vegetables are grown at all villages in the upazila as it has fertile lands where yields are much higher. Traders from across the country purchase vegetables from here and transport them to Dhaka, Chittagong and other major cities, they added.
Farmer Monnaf Pramanik of Kamalpur village under the same union said they prefer cultivating winter vegetables to other crops to avoid the risk of loss. The correspondent found the farmers busy taking care of their vegetables fields.
Abu Said, Kashem Ali Mondal, Abdul Hannan Fakir and Abdus Sobahan of the village said they have been cultivating early varieties of winter vegetables on their farmlands as their families depend on the income coming from selling the vegetables.
Contacted, Mr. Chondi Das Kundu deputy director of Bogra DAE said, farmers cultivated early variety of the winter vegetable on around 12,300 hectares of land in the district and warm and humid climatic condition helped its rapid growth and these are largely grown in almost all the villages in the district and farmers make a good profit by selling their produce.
