Hakaluki haor: A stunning yellow sunflower paradise for tourists
Md Mosabbir Ali, back from hakaluki haor:
Asia’s largest Hakaluki Haor, often compared to a gathering of the sun, is a mesmerising sight where vast fields of yellow sunflowers blanket the landscape. The golden blooms, stretching across the haor, create a magical kingdom that beckons tourists, inviting them to lose themselves for a while in its sunflower-filled garden.
The scene easily captivates anyone’s mind, which is why tourists are constantly flocking to the kingdom of the yellow queen. Rows of sunflowers, large flowers on the tops of trees like a procession of yellow flowers across the horizon.
In the morning and afternoon, when the sun has set in the western sky, at that moment, the beauty of Hakaluki appears in the smile of the sunflower. From a distance, in the gentle sunshine, it seems as if a sun fair is being held. The sweet breeze of the sunflower is blowing throughout Hakaluki haor. To enjoy the unique beauty of the sunflower, tourists flock to Hakaluki every day.
When you go to the field, you can see that the beautiful sight of sunflowers is calling you. The enchanting scent of yellow flowers and the buzzing of bees all around have filled the farmlands of the farmers. However, the cultivation of sunflowers is
It would be wrong to think of it only for entertainment. The government is encouraging farmers to cultivate sunflowers with incentives, mainly to produce oil to meet food demand. Farmers say that the method of cultivating sunflowers is fairly simple. Per bight three kilograms of seeds, a little fertiliser and pesticides are enough for the land.
The total cost is Tk 2-3 thousand. If the yield is good, the farmer’s profit is very good. Therefore, farmers are increasingly inclined towards this cultivation.
Md Nazmul Islam, a tourist who came from Jhenaidah to see the sunflower garden at Hakaluki Haor, said, “The smile of the sunflowers in the late afternoon is truly extraordinary. We came to Hakaluki Haor to enjoy the beauty of the sunflowers.”
Sunflower cultivation as an oilseed crop has become popular day by day in the Hakaluki Haor area. With government support, farmers’ interest in sunflower cultivation is endless as it is highly profitable at a low cost.
Sunflower cultivation in Asia’s largest haor could be one of the most promising, said Sheikh Sirajul Islam Siraj, a tourist journalist who visited the sunflower garden, “It’s very nice to see the sunflower flowers in the haor.” However,
The roads leading to the haor are not good, so it is very difficult to reach here. The government needs to pay attention to this.
Rafiqul Islam and Saiful Islam, who cultivate sunflowers in Hakaluki haor said, “We have about two bighas of land.”
I have cultivated sunflowers. The yield has also been very good. If I get government support, I will expand sunflower cultivation further. I have received free seeds along with advice from the government through the Upazila Agriculture Office.
However, sunflower farmers complained that many tourists who come to see the sunflower garden damage us by plucking sunflower flowers. They urged tourists to not pluck the flowers while admiring the beauty of the sunflower garden.
According to the Upazila Agriculture Office, 70 farmers in Juri have cultivated sunflowers under the incentive. This time, sunflowers have been cultivated on 70 bighas of land in the Upazila. Among the cultivated sunflowers, Haisan-33, RDS 275 varieties have been cultivated.
Upazila Agriculture Officer Mahmudul Alam Khan said farmers in Juri Upazila have cultivated sunflower on a total of 70 bighas of land under the incentive. Sunflower is quite good in terms of quality as edible oil. Sunflower is available in the market
We hope that farmers will be happy with a good harvest this year, as demand and prices are good, and the soil and climate of Hakaluki Haor are suitable for sunflower cultivation.
Shamsuddin Ahmed, deputy director of the Moulvibazar Office of the Department of Agricultural Extension, said the demand for sunflower cultivation is gradually increasing in the district. All kinds of government assistance are being provided to every sunflower farmer in the district.
Farmers are becoming more interested in this crop due to its low cost and low incidence of diseases. The Department of Agriculture is working to increase the production of this crop in the future.