JAMALPUR, Feb 25, 2018 (BSS) – A good number of farmers in Islampur upazila of the district produced pesticide free green chilli this year.
Regional Agriculture Research Station (RARS) in assistance with the CRG (Competitive Research Grant) Sub project and NATP (National Agricultural Technology Project)-2 motivated farmers to cultivate green chilli without using harmful pesticide in a char area of Shingvanga village on the bank of Jamuna river in the upazila.
Under the project on ‘survey, monitoring and eco-friendly integrated management of major insect pests and diseases in chilli at Jamalpur region’, a total of 200 farmers cultivated green chilli on 75 bighas of land in the upazila.
The farmers sowed local variety of ‘Balizury green chilli’ seed in their field by using Integrated Pest Management (IPM) method, expecting good yield of chilli. They also used sex-pheromone trap and colour trap to kill harmful insecticides instead of pesticide, RARS officials said today.
Local farmer Ziaul Haque said we used 30 to 32 types of pesticide on green chilli land in lacking of proper knowledge earlier, adding this year, we used only antifungal for two times.
Another farmer Dudu Sheikh at the same village said I spent Tk 15000 to cultivate one Bigha of land.
He expected a net profit of Tk 30,000 to Tk 50,000, saying due to adaptation of IPM method, the production cost has been decreased. On the other hand, we are getting poison free chilli, he added.
Principal Scientific Officer, RARS, Dr Md Abdul Mannan said indiscriminate use of pesticide not only pollutes crops but also kills many friendly insecticides.
He said farmers should know as to how to kill harmful insects without using pesticide.