Farmers benefit from advance bumper carrot yield in Ishwardi

Ishwardi (Pabna) Correspondent :
Ishwardi produces the best carrot in the country due to its early variety, sweetness and dryness. This year too, due to the favorable weather, there has been a bumper crop of carrots in Ishwardi. A bumper yield coupled with good prices have brought smiles to the faces of carrot growers. Carrots here have a good taste and low water content, so they are in high demand due to their durability. Because of this, the reputation and demand of Ishwardi carrots is nationwide. Farmers have increased interest in carrot cultivation due to high land, favorable climate of Ishwardi for carrot cultivation, less disease, less labor, high production and good price. The fortunes of many farmers have changed by cultivating carrots.
However, due to the increase in the price of fertilizers and seeds, as well as the import of carrots from abroad, farmers are not getting the fair price of domestic carrots. Some of the carrot growers are happy to get advance carrot prices. Many people said that they are not benefiting due to the increase in the prices of fertilizers, seeds and other materials. However, the Agriculture Office says that the current market price of carrots is not very profitable, but the farmers are getting a good profit.
Farmers said that due to the favorable weather, there has been a good yield of early varieties of carrots this year. Carrots were sold at the price of 1 lakh 10 thousand to 1 lakh 20 thousand per bigha. However, the cost of carrot cultivation has increased this year compared to other years. Farmers bought one kg of carrot seeds for Tk 17,500 this time at Tk 21,500. The price of seeds has increased by 4000 taka per kg. Besides, due to shortage of synthetic fertilizers, fertilizers have to be bought at higher prices than the government fixed prices. As labor wages increased, irrigation was forced to double due to severe drought at the beginning of cultivation. Carrot cultivation used to cost a maximum of 40,000 taka. This time it was 60-65 thousand taka.
In Bharaimari and Naodapara, which is known as carrot village of Ishwardi, day laborers are busy picking carrots from the land. The wholesalers are buying these carrots from the land. Workers are picking up carrots from the land and filling them in sacks to wash the soil. Before that, the workers put the carrots in water and trample them in a special way to clear the soil. Some are hauling sacks onto trucks for marketing.
Carrots Bangabandhu National Award winning farmer Zahidul Islam aka Carrot Zahid has planted carrots on 90 bigha of land this year. He said, earlier, 40-45 thousand taka were spent on one bigha of carrot cultivation. This time the expenditure has increased by about 60 thousand taka. All the costs of farming including seeds, fertilizers have increased a lot this year. At present, carrots are being sold at the rate of Tk 35-40 per kg in the wholesale market. He said, “I don’t know what will happen later.” Marginal farmers are deprived of getting fair price as carrots are imported from China.
Rokon Ali, a farmer of Bhadimari Bengalpara, said that the seeds of early varieties of carrots were planted at the beginning of September. The yield of this carrot is available in three months. A second phase of carrot seeding is done from late November and early December. Although the advance carrot yield is good this year, domestic carrot market is depressed due to import of carrots from abroad. He requested the government to ensure the fair price of domestic carrots by stopping the import of carrots from abroad.
Wholesale trader Alam Pramanik said that demand for carrots in advance is quite good. Ishwardi carrots are the first to be found in the market of the capital. Here, carrots are being sold at the rate of Tk 35 to Tk 40 per kg. Carrots are supplied daily to various district cities including Dhaka, Narayanganj, Sylhet, Chittagong, Barisal. Every day about 15-20 trucks of carrots are going to different parts of the country from Bharaimari, Bakhtarpur and Naodapara villages.
President of Bangladesh Farmers’ Development Society, National Medalist farmer Siddiqur Rahman Moize said that early and best carrots are produced in Ishwardi. Ishwardi carrots are in high demand among retailers due to their low taste, sweetness and water content. As the amount of water in Ishwardi carrot is low, it can be kept in the store for up to 10/12 days. Does not rot. He said that the farmers are suffering due to lack of storage facilities for vegetables in North Bengal including Ishwardi. Although there are shelters in Dhaka and Narayanganj, it is not possible to save the locals. He said that the farmers of the area have long been demanding the establishment of a vegetable and fruit storage facility under the government initiative, but it is not being implemented.
Upazila Agriculture Officer Mita Sarkar said that the farmers of Ishwardi cultivate seeds of Orange King, Yellow Star, Hybrid Sapal seed varieties for bumper yield of carrots. Carrots have been cultivated in large areas of Lakshikunda, Salimpur and Sahapur Unions. This year, 890 hectares of land have been planted in Ishwardi, which is known as the country’s best carrot. Carrot cultivation is increasing every year in Ishwardi as the nutritious vegetable carrot cultivation is profitable. This time there is a bumper crop of carrots. Ishwardi carrots are the first to be found in the country’s market. Farmers are benefiting a lot from the current market price of carrots. He said that the agriculture department has always been helping carrot farmers with various suggestions.