Staff Reporter, Kishoreganj :
Haor farmers are now inclined to cultivate maize as an alternative crop. Farmer’s interest in maize cultivation is increasing day by day due to low product cost, good price and high demand.
Haor peoples are now cultivate maize more as there is no risk of crop failure due to early floods and profit is high in a short period of time at low cost. Besides, paddy cultivation in Haor areas has decreased due to less money earned by selling crops as compared to production cost.
Farmers are now inclined to cultivate maize as an alternative crop. Their interest in maize cultivation is increasing day by day due to low product cost, good price and high demand.
Talking to some farmers in Nikli haor upazila , it is learned that farmers have been losing interest in paddy cultivation due to losses for several years.
Although the cultivation of paddy has decreased, the cultivation of maize and vegetables has also increased
Besides, there is also a risk of paddy cultivation in haor areas due to natural calamities and early floods. In that case the risk of maize cultivation is less. Because, before the rains come, the farmer can take the corn home.
Although maize was once cultivated in the highlands of the upper reaches, now as an alternative crop, the cultivation of maize in Haor increasing day by day.
Maize is being planted more than before in different areas of Mithamin, Nikli,, Karimganj, Bajitpur and Austagram in Kishoreganj.
Farmers are getting better price of maize as there is demand. Last year, the price of maize was Tk 750 to 850, but this year the farmers are selling it at Tk 1,200 to 1,250. For that, in the lands where paddy was cultivated last year, field after field can be seen now in the field of maize.
Farmer in Nikli haor Md. Alimuddin said that I benefits from maize cultivation. This time he will be able to sell maize worth around Tk 4 lakh for 1,200. It cost him about one and a half lakh takas.
According to Agriculture Extension Department, maize has been planted in 2,360 hectares in Nikli, 2,120 hectares in Mithamin, 1,560 hectares in Bajitpur and 520 hectares in Ashtagram.
When contact to Deputy Director (DD), Department of Agricultural Extension of Kishoreganj, Agriculturist Saiful Alam told the New Nation that earlier maize cultivation was less in the district but this time maize has been planted in 6,275 hectares of land in haor areas in Kishoreganj where corn was once rarely seen, corn is now found all around.
