Char people opt for chilli farming because of high yield
Farmers collect chilli at a field in Deluabari Char on the Jamuna River in Fulchhari upazila of Gaibandha district as chilli cultivation has become a profitable initiative in the area. Photo: STAR
Chilli cultivation is gaining popularity among the people of remote Deluabari Char on the Jamuna due to its high yield. Growers are now making a huge profit by cultivating chilli on the char where they could not produce anything just couple of years ago. Afsar Mollah, who first cultivated chilli on the char (newly emerged landmass) under Fulchhari upazila of Gaibandha last year, told this correspondent that he cultivated chilli on 25 bighas of land on experimental basis and got 150 maunds of green and 30 maunds of dried chillies. Afsar earned Tk 3 lakh by selling both green and dried chillies last year. He cultivated jute and vegetable on the land couple of years ago, but it was hard for him to get back the production cost. Seeing the success of Afsar, many people of the char have started cultivating chilli on their lands. Growers are collecting green chilli this season and making a good profit by selling it. Afsar has cultivated chilli on 40 bighas of land this season and is expecting around 170 to 180 maunds of crop yield. "My chilli field draws attention of the people who visit here to see chilli production," said Abdur Rouf, another grower of the area. Chilli cultivation has spread to other villages of Fulchhari upazila. Most of the farmers of Bagari and Kholabari villages have started cultivating chilli on their lands, said upazila agriculture officer Yusuf Rana Mondol. As many as 1,200 hectares of land have been brought under chilli cultivation in the upazila this season, the official added.
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