Helping boost immunity while making profit

Anticipating a rise in demand for vegetables and leafy greens that help boost immunity against various diseases including Covid-19, farmers in Nilphamari are now busy cultivating early varieties of winter vegetables.

In line with the anticipation, the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) in Nilphamari has also set its vegetable cultivation target 1,125 hectares higher than that set in the year before, said Arif Rahman, sub-assistant agriculture officer of DAE in the district. 

DAE's Additional Deputy Director Mazedul Islam said the farmers would benefit greatly if they succeeded in growing the early varieties of winter vegetables when the demand is high.

But the cultivation of the early varieties is challenging, because heavy rainfall during the months of August and September may cause extensive damage to cultivated fields or plants.  

In order to protect the tender saplings or plants, the farmers should cover their cultivated land with polythene sheets, he added. 

While visiting Subarnakhuli, Kundopukur and Bhashanipara villages in Nilphamari Sadar upazila and Uttar Sonakhuli village in Saidpur upazila, this correspondent found many farmers busy tending to early winter varieties of vegetables -- including cauliflower and tomato -- in large areas of land.  

Farmer Atwar Rahman, from Kundopukur village, said, "We now choose to grow cauliflower, cabbage, tomato, bean and different leafy greens because not only these are rich in vitamins and minerals, which help strengthen immunity of consumers, but are also highly profitable."

Another farmer, Joshiar Rahman from Uttar Sonakhuli village, said because cauliflower is high in demand for its nutritional value, he has spent around Tk 38 thousand to plant 10 thousand saplings on 2.5 bighas of land in mid-August.

He also said that he hopes to make around Tk 2 lakh in October, by selling each cauliflower for Tk 20.

Himangshu Roy, from Botlagari village in Sadar upazila, said he looks forward to making a profit of Tk 60 thousand in October and November from the sale of bean that he has planted on one bigha of land, at a cost of around Tk 30 thousand.

Due to instability in prices of rice at markets, many farmers are now being drawn to cultivation of early winter vegetable varieties for their high margin of profits, said a number of farmers, from Dimla and Kishoreganj upazilas, this correspondent spoke with.  

DAE Deputy Director Obaidur Rahman Mondol said they advise farmers to grow three or four crops during a cultivation cycle each year.

Since demands for vegetables are on the rise due to the pandemic, farmers can make additional profits if they are able to grow a fourth crop, especially the early variety of winter vegetables, he added.