RANGPUR, Jan 28, 2021 (BSS) – Farmers have exceeded the fixed farming
target for winter vegetables by 2.65 percent in Rangpur agricultural region
where its harvest continues with excellent yield rate now making them happy.
Officials of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) said a super
bumper production of winter vegetables is likely in all five districts of
Rangpur agriculture region during the current Rabi season.
“Plenty of all varieties of winter vegetables have appeared in local
markets with lucrative prices for farmers,” Deputy Director of the DAE at its
regional office Agriculturalist Md. Moniruzzaman said.
Braving the coronavirus pandemic, farmers have completed sowing seeds of
winter vegetables on more lands to recoup the huge crop losses they incurred
during recent floods in the region.
“The farmers have finally brought 39,367 hectares of land under
cultivation of winter vegetables, 2.67 percent higher against the fixed
farming target on 38,350 hectares of land to produce 9.48 lakh tonnes of
vegetables,” he said.
The government distributed incentives among small, marginal and flood-
affected farmers this season in the region where cultivation of vegetables
during both winter and summer seasons has become popular bringing huge
profits to farmers.
The agriculture related departments, organisations and institutions have
extended adequate assistance to farmers in making the winter vegetables
farming programme a complete success in the region this season.
“The DAE, Bangladesh Agriculture Research Institute, Bangladesh
Agriculture Development Corporation and other organisations provided quality
seed, incentives and agri-inputs and technical assistance to farmers,”
Moniruzzaman said.
On the other hand, commercial banks disbursed easy-term agriculture loans
among farmers to make the winter vegetables farming programme successful.
Vegetable trader Hafizur Rahman at Rangpur City Market today said all
varieties of winter vegetables have appeared in the local markets in plenty
with better prices benefiting local farmers.
Meanwhile, vegetables traders are sending huge quantities of winter
vegetables to Dhaka city and other parts of the country by trucks from
different points in the region.
“Around 800 trucks loaded with winter vegetables are being sent to the
capital city and other places daily now from all five districts of Rangpur
agriculture region,” Rahman added.
Farmers Echhahaq Ali, Mohsin Hossain, Bubul Ahmed and Dulal Chandra Sarker
in Rangpur Sadar expressed satisfaction over current market prices of all
varieties of winter vegetables.
Senior Coordinator (Agriculture and Environment) of RDRS Bangladesh
Agriculturist Mamunur Rahman Rashid said farmers have cultivated winter
vegetables on more lands both in the mainland and char areas to earn enhanced
profits this season.
Talking to BSS, President of Rangpur Chamber Mostafa Sohrab Chowdhury Titu
stressed on setting up of agro-industries and preservation facilities in the
region for enhancing export locally produced vegetables abroad to bring more
profits to farmers.
“There are tremendous prospects for exporting huge quantities of locally
produced vegetables from the Rangpur region to Malaysia, Singapore, Saudi
Arabia and other Middle Eastern, African, European and far eastern countries
in the future,” he added.