UNB, Jashore :
Once considered as an unfamiliar foreign vegetable, capsicum is fast gaining popularity in Bangladesh.
The rising demand of capsicum, locally known as sweet pepper, is pushing up its farming in parts of Bangladesh. Farmers are getting good price too.
Consider Manjurul Alam, a 42-year-old farmer of Jhikorgachha upazila in Jashore district, who scripted a success story by cultivating capsicum commercially in this farmland.
Thanks to the favourable weather his harvest is satisfactory.
His success has spread across the area bringing in more farmers like him in capsicum farming.
Manjurul was a florist and for the last three years, he got involved in capsicum cultivation.
He has learnt the technique of capsicum cultivation from agricultural experts.
He knows well how to prepare the field, control the temperature and use Polyshade fogger machines to grow the profitable vegetable.
The foreign vegetable has huge demand in the country too like European and American countries which transform Manjurul’s life in a few years.
People from different parts of the district flock to his land and buy the saplings to bring their land under capsicum cultivation too.
Earlier, traders used to import it from India due to its popularity in the country but now many farmers like Majurul grow it in Jashore.
Many farmers in Jhikargacha, Manirampur and Chowgacha upazila have brought their land under capsicum cultivation.
“I was a florist, but I suffered huge loss in flower business during the pandemic. Then I decided to cultivate capsicum and Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation (BADC) helped me in doing this,” said Manjurul.
First he built a modern poly shed on one bigha of land to cultivate capsicum and installed irrigation system, electric fans, fogger machines and other equipment, he said.
At the very beginning, one kg of capsicum was being sold at Tk 200 and now he sells a kilo of the healthy vegetable at Tk 400 to 500, said Manjurul.
The veg is available in multiple of colours – green, yellow and red.
Capsicum produced in the district goes to the Capital, where it is used mostly in Chinese restaurants. Bangladesh has also started exporting it.
Masud Hasan Polash, upazila agriculture officer, said the agriculture officials and BADC officials have provided all-out support to Manjurul to make his dream come true.
“It has been proved that the soil of the district is favourable for capsicum cultivation and the range of capsicum cultivation can be expanded further,” he said.
Deputy Director of Jashore Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE), Dipankar Das, said “Capsicum is a profitable product and we are encouraging farmers to cultivate this kind of profitable vegetables.”
He also assured of providing all necessary support to the farmers who would take to capsicum cultivation.
