Summer hybrid tomato is being cultivated in different areas of Godagari upazila of the district commercially as it is being considered as a profitable crop.
In last year, more than ten farmers have gained success through farming experimentally.
So, its acreage has been enhanced this year.
Farmers of Dewpara and Char Asariadaha unions have completed seed sowing activities of summer hybrid tomato (variety BARI-4) on five bighas of land. As the seedlings are growing well the farmers have arranged sheds with bamboo and polythene.
However, the farmers said the seed transplantation process on the land is being delayed a little bit as the ongoing rainfall has affected some of the seedbeds.
Shamsul Karim, a farmer of Baliaghata village, said he had cultivated the summer tomato on 10 katha of land costing Taka 10,000 last year. He earned a profit of Taka 1.5 lakh after selling the harvested crop. In the current year, he planted seedlings on 15 katha of land.
A field day was organised on his field recently where more than 450 farmers from Godagari and Paba upazilas attended.
Another farmer Lal Mohammad of Choitanyapur village said that he received training on farming and harvesting process of the tomato from Upazila Agriculture Office and cultivated the crop on five katha of land experimentally last year. After achieving success, he brought one bigha of land under tomato farming commercially this year.
Two farmers of Boyermari village cultivated the crop on 10 katha of land under River and Life Project this year.
Abul Kalam Azad, Assistant Upazila Agriculture Officer, said more farmers were seen showing their interest to take training on the summer tomato farming as they get more profit against less cost.
He mentioned that more than 250 farmers received training on farming of various vegetables including summer tomato from the Department of Agriculture (DAE) this season.
The field level DAE officials are extending necessary suggestions to the farmers to make the tomato farming more accurate and profitable.
Hazrat Ali, Deputy Director of DAE, said the summer tomato can be cultivated on all types of soil. The newly innovated summer varieties are capable to become fruit bearing in temperature above 23 degrees Celsius at night.
He, however, said special measures should be taken to protect the transplanted seedlings from inundation along with its normal growth and subsequent expected yield.
Dr Shahabuddin Ahmed, principal scientific officer of BARI, said its farming has gained momentum in different areas of the country including Jessore and the farmers are being benefited significantly.
Referring to the salient features of the variety, he said it was tolerant to high temperature and equal to the winter varieties in size, taste and flavor and its preservation capacity was sufficient in normal temperature.
He, however, said the farmers should be more careful and attentive about protecting the plant from the monsoon rainfall.
