JAMALPUR, May 16, 2023 (BSS) - Sweet potato cultivation in the district has
made farmers profitable this year.

According to Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) office sources farmers
got 25,670 tonnes of sweet potato this year from 1,055 hectares of land. This
year farmers brought 55 hectares more land under sweet potato cultivation
against the target.

Farmers got 14,325 tonnes sweet potato from 573 hectares of land in
Sarishabari upazila while 4,990 tonnes from 225 hectares of land in Islampur,
4,550 tonnes from 182 hectares of land in Madarganj, 765 tonnes from 30
hectares of land in Dewangaj, 365 tonnes from 15 hectares of land in Jamalpur
sadar upazila, 405 tonnes from 15 hectares of land in Bakshiganj and 270
tonnes from 15 hectares of land in Melandah.

Farmers- Farid Hossain, Moslem Uddin, Sohel Rana, Uzzal Ahmed Lal Mahmud and
Omar Ali at village Sidhuli in Madarganj upazila got handsome profit from
sweet potato cultivation.

Farmer Farid Hossain said he got 70 Mound(40 kilogram) sweet potato in a
Bigha of land. He said per Mound sweet potato is being sold Taka 700 to Taka
750. He said made net profit from per Bigha of land about Taka 37,000.  

When contacted Madarganj Upazila Agriculture Officer, Md Shahadul Islam said
farmers are being motivated to cultivate sweet potato as cash crop as well as
nutritious food. He said it requires low production cost and it requires less
irrigation, fertilizer, pesticide and nursing.

Per Bigha production cost Taka 12,000 to Taka 15,000 and yield comes 70
Mounds to 75 Mounds and farmers can harvest the crop from 90 days to 100
days, he added.

Deputy Director, DAE, Zakia Sultana said farmers brought more land under
sweet potato cultivation in the district this year due to low cost of its
cultivation. Farmers in the char areas mostly cultivate sweet potato. On the
other hand fair price of sweet potato also drifted farmers to its cultivation
she added.