Early beans bring profits in Kishoreganj

Bean, locally known as shim, is a highly profitable vegetable crop in Bangladesh.

Traditionally considered a winter vegetable, improved farming techniques now allow farmers to cultivate beans early and produce them during the off-season, when market prices are comparatively high.

In Chandipasha Charpara village of Pakundia upazila in Kishoreganj, farmers have turned early bean cultivation into a profitable agricultural activity. They are cultivating beans at relatively low cost and selling them at good prices at the beginning of the season. As the prospect of higher profits continues to attract farmers, the cultivation is expanding every year.

A recent visit to the area found fields covered with bean plants, with green beans hanging from the trellises.

Farmers were busy collecting beans and tending their fields from early morning. Many said they were pleased with the returns they were receiving from the crop.

Farmers said early bean cultivation in Chandipasha Charpara began experimentally about eight to 10 years ago. At the time, a few farmers brought seeds from Pabna and cultivated the crop on a trial basis.

The experiment proved successful, as the farmers obtained good yields and received higher prices for producing beans ahead of the regular season.

Encouraged by their success, other farmers gradually became interested in the crop. Over the years, early bean cultivation spread throughout the village, and many farmers now allocate part of their land to the crop.

Farmer Gias Uddin said he cultivated early beans on 20 decimals of land this year. He spent around Tk 6,000 on land preparation, seeds, fertilisers, pesticides, trellises and maintenance. So far, he has sold beans worth about Tk 30,000, while a large quantity of beans remains in the field.

“If everything goes well, I hope to sell another Tk 1.4 lakh worth of beans,” he said. According to him, total sales could reach around Tk 1.7 lakh during the season.

Gias Uddin said he has been cultivating beans early for the past seven years and has received good yields every year. “If I can bring beans to the market early, I can get a good price. That is why bean cultivation is more profitable for me than many other crops,” he said.

Another farmer, Faruk Miah, said he cultivated early beans on 35 decimals of land this year, spending around Tk 15,000 to Tk 16,000. He has already sold beans worth about Tk 30,000 and expects total sales to reach around Tk 2 lakh.

“I have been cultivating early beans for about 10 years. The price remains good at the beginning of the season, so the profit is much higher than the production cost. That is why I cultivate beans early every year,” Faruk said.

Farmers said they have also started saving seeds from their own fields. Although seeds were initially brought from Pabna, many farmers now select and preserve seeds from plants that have produced good yields over several years.

They said the practice is reducing seed costs while allowing them to use varieties that have adapted well to the local soil and climatic conditions.

Inspired by the success of farmers like Gias Uddin and Faruk Miah, more farmers are becoming interested in early bean cultivation. Farmer Faisal Miah, for example, has cultivated early beans on 26 decimals of land.

For many farmers, the crop is proving to be more than just another vegetable. It has become an effective way to generate additional income from relatively small plots of land.

Assistant Agriculture Officer Mohammad Jahangir Alam said the soil in the Chandipasha area is suitable for early bean cultivation.

“Farmers are getting good prices because of strong market demand for beans,” he said.

He added that the Upazila Agriculture Department is providing farmers with necessary advice and technical assistance, including support on vegetable cultivation, disease prevention and protection against insect attacks.

With growing market demand, locally adapted seeds and improved farming techniques, early bean cultivation is gradually transforming the agricultural prospects of farmers in Chandipasha Charpara.