Photo:BSS

By SM Zahid Hossain

KHULNA, Aug 8, 2025 (BSS) - Reena Begum, 45, a housewife and resident of Senhati village in Dighalia upazila of Khulna district, has become self-reliant through farming ginger in sacks.

She earned over Tk 2 lakh in a year by cultivating ginger on just 12 decimals of land.

While visiting her agro farm, it was found that she is currently cultivating ginger in around 70 sacks during the ongoing Robi crop season.

Besides ginger, she is also farming various vegetables on her land.

Talking to BSS, Reena Begum said, "I cultivated ginger in just 70 bags and achieved initial success. The cost and risk are low, and with good market prices, the profit has been substantial."

"Only Tk 45-50 is my expense per kg of ginger, and I will sell it at Tk 140-150 per kg. I am also cultivating various summer and winter vegetables on my land every year," she said.

"My four-member family went through hard times a few years back. We could not run the household on my electrician husband's income. Three years ago, I decided to cultivate vegetables. But I saw real success last year by farming ginger using the sack method," she added.

Another farmer, Mita Begum, said, "Even women can easily do this at home. It's a great way for women to become economically self-reliant."

Like Reena and Mita, many farmers, including women in the upazila, have become self-reliant through ginger farming using the sack method.

Currently, sack-based ginger cultivation has gained popularity in Dighalia upazila of Khulna district.

A group of farmers, including women, has begun a promising agricultural initiative by utilizing fallow and uncultivated land.

Due to its low cost, high profitability, minimal labour requirements, and ease of maintenance, farmers are increasingly adopting this innovative farming method.

Farmers from various areas of the upazila, including Senhati, Barakpur, Brahmgati, and Panigati, shared that they are cultivating ginger in bags placed beside their homes, in courtyards, or on unused plots.

Each bag contains 7-8 kg of soil mixed with organic fertilizers, and with timely watering and proper shade, farmers are achieving good yields with relative ease.

Sagar Sarkar, the Upazila Sub-Assistant Agriculture Officer, mentioned that he advised farmers in Senhati to cultivate ginger in bags on fallow and uncultivated land.

As a result, several farmers in his block started following the method.

He noted that the cost of cultivating ginger per bag is only around Tk 40 to 45. Farmers like Reena, Mita, Robiul, and Fatema from Senhati are among those actively engaged in this practice.

Upazila Agriculture Officer Md Kishore Ahmed said, "Bag-based ginger farming is a timely and profitable initiative. It enables the productive use of uncultivated land and can be practiced even around household premises on a small scale. We are providing farmers with training and technical support."

Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Ariful Islam said that bag-based ginger cultivation has become quite popular in Dighalia. 
Officials of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) said a total of 69,935 sacks have been used for ginger cultivation, covering an area of 131.4 hectares of land using the sack method in the Khulna agricultural zone.

DAE officials said that in the current season, with a view to increasing production, they have expanded the area for ginger farming using the sack method in Khulna, Bagerhat, Satkhira, and Narail districts.

Talking to BSS, Additional Director of the Department of Agricultural Extension of Khulna region, Md Rafiqul Islam, said that ginger can be cultivated to meet family needs, as it is grown in sacks, and farmers can benefit from it.