35,397 tonnes of groundnut production target for Rangpur division

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RANGPUR, Dec 1, 2020 (BSS) – The Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) has fixed a record target of producing 35,397 tonnes of groundnut from 17,7930 hectares of land for all eights districts in Rangpur division during the current Rabi season.

The DAE officials said farmers have already completed sowing of groundnut seeds on over 9,000 hectares of land till Monday as the process continues in full swing amid excellent climatic conditions across the division.

The tender groundnut plants are growing fabulously currently both on the mainland and vast riverine char areas in all five districts of Rangpur agriculture region and three districts of Dinajpur agriculture region in the division.

During the last Rabi season, farmers cultivated groundnut on 17,777 hectares of land and produced a record quantity of 33,607 tonnes of groundnut in the division.

Acting Additional Director of the DAE for Rangpur region Agriculturist Md. Moniruzzaman said farmers are expanding groundnut farming every year after getting repeated bumper production and lucrative market price in the last 12 years.

As a result of conducting massive motivational activities by the DAE and other agri-related organisations, farmers are increasing cultivation of high yielding varieties of groundnut evolved by Bangladesh Agriculture Research Institute (BARI).

With the consistently increasing demand of groundnut in the food industries and export of the products abroad, farmers are showing keen interests in enhancing groundnut cultivation on main lands and char areas to reap more benefits than other crops.

“The DAE has fixed targets of producing 12,168 tonnes of groundnut from 6,160 hectares of land for Rangpur agriculture region and 23,129 tonnes from 11,570 hectares for Dinajpur agriculture region in the division this time,” Moniruzzaman added.

Talking to BSS, Senior Coordinator (Agriculture and Environment) of RDRS Bangladesh Agriculturist Mamunur Rashid said farmers can earn Taka 40,000 by producing 24 to 27 mounds of groundnut per acre of land spending Taka 20,000 as farming costs per acre.

“More than 15,000 farmers have achieved self-reliance by cultivating groundnut during the Rabi and Kharif seasons every year with assistance of the DAE in Rangpur division in the last 12 years,” Rashid added.

Talking to BSS, farmer Abdur Rahman of village Char Gjoneshyam village in Jatrapur union of Kurigram Sadar upazila said he has cultivated groundnut on one acre of land spending Taka 18,000 this year to recoup the crop losses caused by recent floods.

Farmers Nekkar Ali and Bachchu Mian of Char Nawani Para in the same upazila said they have cultivated groundnut on one acre and four acres of land respectively this season after getting bumper production and excellent price in recent years.

Similarly, farmers Abdul Haque, Lokman Hossain and Saiduzzaman, of Char Biswanath village in Kawnia upazila of Rangpur said they have cultivated groundnut on more char lands this year to recoup the crop losses they incurred during recent floods.

Wholesale groundnut trader Mokhlesur Rahman at Rangpur City Bazar Market told BSS that groundnut harvested during the last Kharif-1 season are currently being bought from local markets and farmers at rates between Taka 3,400 and 3,700 per mound.

“We are selling groundnut to the retailers at rates between Taka 3,600 and Taka 4,000 per mound depending on varieties and qualities after purchasing those from farmers and local markets,” he added.