Sweet potato cultivation on rise in Sylhet division
Sylhet Bureau :
Farmers of various upazilas of Sylhet division are leaning towards potato cultivation as sweet potato cultivation is profitable. Over the past few years, farmers have been growing sweet potatoes with great enthusiasm and profit. Demand for sweet potato has also increased in the market over the last few years. According to the demand of the consumers, the price of sweet potato is also available in the market. The cost of sweet potato cultivation is low as there is no need to apply much fertilizer. No diseases are seen in this crop. So in this plantation more profit is obtained with less capital and labour. That is why the farmers of this section are dreaming of changing their fortunes by cultivating sweet potatoes. High yielding, low risk and disease pests, low cost and high profitability. According to the sources of Sylhet Agriculture Extension Department, sweet potato has been cultivated in 1389 hectares of land in Sylhet division this year. Among them, 162 hectares in Sylhet district, 363 hectares in Moulvibazar district, 182 hectares in Habiganj district and 682 hectares in Sunamganj district have been cultivated this year. In total, 24 thousand 595 tons of sweet potatoes have been produced this year. Sunamganj district has grown the most sweet potato.
In Jamalganj upazila of Sunamganj district, it can be seen that the farmers are busy collecting sweet potatoes from the land. Family members are helping to collect potatoes.
Syedur Rahman, a farmer of South Surma, has been successful in cultivating sweet potatoes. This year, under the Kandal Crop Development Project in South Surma Upazila, he has cultivated 5 varieties of sweet potato on the 15th century land for the second time.
Farmer Syedur Rahman said, after receiving fertilizer and fertilizer for the second time from the agriculture office, we are cultivating Bari-12, Bari-14, Bari-15, Bari-16 and Bari-17 varieties of sweet potato on the 15th century land. Last year we got the expected harvest and this year we cultivated sweet potatoes on a little more land. So far, about 15 thousand rupees have been spent on cultivation, but there is a possibility of getting more than 50 thousand rupees. Due to low cost of production and good price, many farmers will cultivate it in future.
Dakshin Surma Upazila Agriculture Officer Md. Rajib Hossain said that sweet potato is a high value vegetable with short shelf life and very nutritious. The climate and soil here are suitable for its cultivation and the risk in this crop is also low. As it covers the soil, the sap stays longer in the soil, weeds are reduced and its leaves decompose to make excellent compost. Several varieties of sweet potato have been cultivated in different areas of South Surma. Most happened in Kamalbazar area.
Senior Scientist of OFRD Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute, Sylhet Dr. Mahmudul Islam Nazrul said that sweet potatoes have been cultivated in different areas of Sylhet. Especially in Jamalganj, Bishwambharpur, Dharmapasha and Sunamganj Sadar areas of Sunamganj, new varieties of sweet potatoes have been cultivated a little more. Cultivation of varieties with disease resistance has developed in this region on a large scale. Many farmers are showing interest in sweet potato cultivation. Agriculture Extension Directorate Sylhet Region Sylhet Additional Director Agronomist Md. Mosharraf Hossain Khan said that the soil of Sylhet is very suitable for sweet potato cultivation. Nowadays, the multidimensional use of sweet potato has increased. Over time, sweet potato varieties have been invented. Farmers in different areas of the division are benefiting by cultivating new varieties of sweet potato. He said that by meeting the needs of food and nutrition, the farmers of Sylhet have come forward in sweet potato cultivation. As a result, new possibilities have been created with sweet potatoes in the greater Sylhet region.
