Vegetable cultivation proves profitable

Satisfactory profits and advantages of cultivation are prompting the farmers of 12 upazilas here to grow the vegetables abundantly round the year.

The farmers here are cultivating winter vegetables like potato, pumpkin, cauliflower, cabbage, arum, bitter-guard, snake-guard, radish and bean as it has proved profitable. They are also farming summer vegetables in advance, sources said.

Sylhet Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) has set a target to cultivate the winter vegetables on around 10,285 hectares of land this year. But the target has exceeded as the farmers have brought 9,291 hectares of land under the programme.

According to sources, 1,710 hectares of land have been brought under vegetable cultivation in Sylhet Sadar upazila, 1280 hectares in Biswnath upazila, 930 hectares in Dakshin Surma upazila, 885 hectares in Golapgonj upazila, 930 hectares in Jointa upazila, 1295 hectares in Kanaighat upazila, 520 hectares in Jakigonj upazila, 353 hectares in Bianibazar upazila, 185 hectares in Balagonj upazila, 550 hectares in Companigonj upazila, 153 hectares in Goainghat upazila of the district.

Easy cultivation process and lower production cost compared to other crops is one of the main reasons behind popularity of vegetable cultivation, experts say.

The farmers are also expecting bumper production this year due to favorable weather conditions and timely supply of necessary agro-inputs, DAE officials says.

A farmer Romjan Ali of Tukerbazar village under Sadar upazila said he had already earned Tk 60,000 as profit, cultivating the vegetables on three bighas of land.

DAE Deputy Director Sylhet said, ‘The farmers are showing interest in vegetables cultivation as they got desired price against the production cost last year.’