Rangpur farmers changing fortune thru’ farming Napier grass

BSS, Rangpur :

Despite the global crises caused by the Russia-Ukraine War, hundreds of farmers across the district are changing fortune through cultivation of high yielding variety Napier grass on a commercial basis.
“Napier grass farming has become a gainful scheme for farmers who can easily earn over Taka one lakh yearly by farming the very nourishing Napier grass on one acre of land,” said Additional District Livestock Officer Dr. Md.Zobaidul Kabir.
Demand for nutritious green grass continues increasing as fodder for heads of cattle, cows, goats and sheep attracting more farmers in farming the grass as the livestock and dairy sectors are boosting rapidly during the last 14 years.
“During the 2021-2022 fiscal, as many as 3,000 farmers cultivated Napier variety grass on over 920 acres of land and produced 64,400 tonnes worth Taka 12 crore alone in the district,” Kabir said.
To meet the growing demand, farmers continued expanding cultivation of Napier grass on more lands from the 2010-2011 fiscal and the trend continued in the subsequent fiscals in all eight upazilas of Rangpur district. Talking to BSS, farmers at different villages said they have been cultivating Napier grass for many years to feed their cows, sheep and goats and they earn well through selling the surplus grass directly from the land.
Napier grass farming has brought prosperity to the family of farmers and they do not suffer as much as before to pay for education of their children, to buy fertilisers and pesticides for farming the grass and other crops. Farmer Akhtarul Islam of Srirampur village in Chandanpat union of Rangpur Sadar upazila said he has been cultivating Napier grass on only 12 decimals of land for the past nine years spending Taka 6,000 annually as farming costs.
“After meeting the demand of my four milk-giving cows, I earn a net annual profit of around Taka 30,000 by selling the harvested grass eight times annually,” he said. Farmer Nanu Chandra of nearby Matiyapara village said he has been cultivating Napier grass on his one acre (100 decimals) of land during the past 12 years.
“I generally spend Taka 60,000 for cultivating Napier grass, including labour costs, on my one acre of land, and harvest the grass eight times annually and sell those at Taka 2.20 lakh to earn a net profit of 1.60 lakh annually,” he said.
Farmer Azizar Rahman of Akandapara village in Badarganj said, “Cultivation of Napier grass needs low cost and brings high profit.”
Another farmer of the same village Raushan Ara said, “I’ve been cultivating Napier grass for the last six years. It is more profitable. The cost of farming is very low. Cows give more milk after eating Napier grass.”
Farmer Amjad Hossain of Pratipal Bogurapara village in Pirgachha said Napier grass is good for the health of cows. This grass is rich in nutrients and very useful for cattle as it has no harmful effects. District Livestock Officer Dr. Md. Sirajul Haque said Napier grass cultivation has become a profitable venture and attracts more farmers in farming the grass every year in the district.
“Napier grass has more vitamins than dry paddy straws and meets nutrition and enhances disease resistance capacity of domestic animals like cows, goats and sheep for their healthier growth alongside increasing production of meat and milk,” Haque said.
He suggested farmers to earn extra profits by cultivating Napier grass on fallow homesteads, roadside places, mango and litchi orchards and abandonedlands making the best use of land without hampering regular crop farming on cultivable lands.