Farmers in different upazilas under Rangpur district are happy as they are making good profit through cultivation of Okra (lady’s finger) on their lands during the current season.
Disgruntled over low price of paddy, jute and other crops many farmers of the region became interested in the cultivation of vegetable this year and its cultivation proved more lucrative than the cultivation of other crops.
Golap Hossain of Baniapara village under Taraganj Upazila in the district told The New Nation he has brought two bighas of land under lady’s finger cultivation this season and earned Tk 25,000 so far. He is also expecting more dividends during the remaining part of the season. Many farmers of the upazila and other parts of the district have become able to overcome the curse of poverty by growing different varieties of vegetables including lady’s finger, he added.
Shafiqur Rahman of Genarpara village under Mithapukur upazila in the district said “I cultivated lady’s finger on my farmlands this season instead of paddy as the low price of the paddy disappointed me last season,” he said. He has also got satisfactory output of the produce so far and is making handsome profit by selling the produce in the market, he also said.
Expressing Satisfaction a number of farmers said, it was difficult for them to afford the expenses of their family by growing paddy only; but cultivation of lady’s finger and some other vegetable is now giving them adequate profit to ease their financial constraints. If the cultivators get interest-free loans and other agricultural inputs, they will greatly be benefited by farming vegetables, they added.
