<i>Mustard growers happy over bumper yield, better price</i>
Farmers harvest mustard at a field at Ashekpur in Tangail Sadar upazila. Mustard has become a crop of choice for the growers in several districts in the last couple of years because of better prices.Photo: STAR
Mustard growers in Netrakona, Tangail and Madaripur districts eye a bumper production this year due to favourable weather conditions and timely steps taken by the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE). Deputy Director of DAE Netrakona Kazi Nurul Islam said that his department had set a target to cultivate quality mustard on 3,380 hectares of land in ten upazilas of the district, reports our correspondent. "We expect a bumper production as harvesting has begun", he said. According to Abbas Uddin, Crop Production Specialist of DAE, favourable climate conditions, proper distribution of improved seeds, timely supply of fertilisers and other agro-inputs to the growers and technical assistance are the reasons behind the expectation. Dilip Sen, a local agriculturist of Mukterpara area in the district town said, if the growers get the reasonable price of their produce this season, they will be encouraged to cultivate more mustard next year. "Soil of this area is very suitable for mustard cultivation. So, farmers can harvest the crop within 90 days at minimum cost," he added. Farmer Khokon Mia of Nurpur Boali village under Khaliajuri upazila said that he cultivated mustard on two acres of land this year hoping to earn more profit. Shahin Khan, another farmer of Moutol village under Kalmakanda upazila said, "We did not get reasonable price of rice although we gave hard labour and spend a lot of money. So, this year we have cultivated mustard on our land to recoup loss". Mustard production in Madaripur also may exceed the target this winter. Md. Golam Mostafa, deputy director of the DAE, Madaripur told UNB that they were executing a plan to bring a total of 8,449 hectares of land under mustard farming in four upazilas of the district in the current season with a production target of 10,560 tonnes. According to the district DAE office, mustard has been sown in 1,714 hectares with a production target of 2,142 tonnes in Kalkini, 1,125 hectares with a production target of 1,406 tonnes in Rajoir, 4,170 hactares with a production target of 5,212 tonnes in Shibchar and 1,440 hectares with a production target of 1800 tonnes in Sadar upazila. Sultan Mollah, 40, a farmer of Lakkhiganj village in Sadar upazila, said, "I have cultivated mustard on 120 decimals of land in the current season and expect a good harvest". Eskander Matbar, 60, of Mostafapur village, and Nuru Kazi, 55, of Charmaguria village in the upazila, said they were also cultivating mustard in a massive way. A farmer of Shibchar upazila said he cultivated mustard on a big area with the hope of good yield because of good weather and timely DAE assistance. Mustard fields can be seen here and there at different villages some with seeds and others with eye-catching colour. Agricultural experts hope that the output is likely to exceed target as the weather was favourable for the crop. In Tangail, harvesting of the cash crop is now going on in full swing. The farmers in the district are also expecting a bumper yield and better prices, compared to last year's, reports our correspondent. Mustard was cultivated on 33,605 hectares of land in 12 upazilas of the district this year, DAE sources said. Farmer Badar Ali of Panch Charan village in Kalihati upazila said he got 12 maunds of mustard from his three bighas of land this year while he had harvested nine maunds from the same land last year. Mohammad Azizullah, deputy director of DAE in Tangail, said the farmers got bumper yield of the item due to favourable weather condition and necessary support provided by the department. Farmer Sabed Ali of Ashekpur village in Sadar upazila said he sold his mustard at Tk 1400 per maund while the price was Tk 1250 per maund last year. Besides, cultivation of hybrid variety of mustard also increased the yield in Sadar upazila this year, farmers said. Hybrid Bari-14 mustard was cultivated on 500 hectares in Tangail Sadar upazila last year. But the farmers cultivated it on 2,000 hectares this year due to proper motivation and help by DAE.
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