BSS, RAJSHAHI :
Currently, nursery owners and workers are seen passing their busy times growing saplings and plants of vegetables, fruits and varieties of flowers during the current season everywhere in the region, including its vast Barind tract.
Conventionally, this time is very vital for the nursery business as demands of seasonal vegetables, fruits and flowers mount to a greater extent.
Many of the micro-entrepreneurs set up makeshift shops at corners and intersections of roads and streets displaying seedlings and plants of vegetables, fruit and flowers on tubs and poly-bags to attract the buyers.
Nursery business has made many owners and micro-entrepreneurs delighted in growing seedlings of vegetables, fruit trees and plants and varieties of flowers as the venture is lucrative compared to other relevant ones.
Belly Begum, 35, has become economically solvent through farming of vegetables on homesteads as its demand has been increasing gradually in society.
A resident of Dighipara village under Paba upazila in the district, Begum is earning cash money through selling varieties of vegetables, including red amaranth, spinach, bottle gourd and Indian spinach (puishak), at present.
Tazrul Islam, owner of Liza Nursery in Postal Academy area, each of the small-size flower seedlings is being sold at Taka 8-10, while the big size is at Taka 25-35 at present.
He said their professional work rises to a greater extent in winter compared to other seasons. Islam said 7-8 people work in his nursery as daily laborers every day.
As a result of the successful promotion of nursery business, homestead gardening has been contributing a lot to strengthening the rural economy by meeting protein demands in the region, inspiring people to cultivate vegetables on the fallow land near their abodes.
Scores of grassroots people are seen cultivating vegetables, spices and fruits on homesteads and other bare lands round the year and changing their fortunes.
Many other youths have made fortunes through commercial flower farming as it becomes a blessing for them in the region, including its vast barind tract.
