The cultivation of “Bombai Morich,” a type of hybrid chili, has turned out to be a real boon for the farmers in the southern districts of Pirojpur and Jhalakathi.
Farmers in the region earn around Tk1-Tk1.5 lakh per acre within 3-4 months when cultivating this variety of chili.
The “Ghritakumari,” variety of the specially scented “Bombai Morich,” has become very popular among the cultivators.
A chili farmer Abdur Rahman said the chilis were exported to other countries after meeting the local demand.
But the cultivators say the interference of middlemen is hampering their making good profits.
The “Ghritakumari Bombai Morich” is sold at Tk0.20-Tk0.30 per piece in the wholesale market in the area and is sold at between Tk1 and Tk3 per piece elsewhere in the country, enabling the brokers to make a profit, said Ashraf Ali, a cultivator from Mirakathi under Jhalakathi Sadar upazila.
Sources in the local agriculture department said more than 5,000 farmers from about 30 villages under Sadar upazila of Jhalakathi and 3,000 farmers from 28 villages under Swarupkathi upazila of Pirojpur district are cultivating different types of “Bombai Morich” commercially to become financially solvent.
The farmers use their land for a variety of cultivation all year round. In the months of August and September, they are able to prepare whatever amount of land they own to cultivate different crops including “Bombai Morich” followed by “peyara,” (Guava) “amra,” “lebu” and sugarcane, and do not need extra land for their cultivation purposes.
The variety of chili brings profits of around Tk1-Tk1.5 lakh from per acre within a short period of about 3-4 months and is quite enough to maintain family expenses, said Abdul Motaleb from Mirkathi, Jhalakathi.
The price of the chili ranges between Tk400 and Tk500 per thousand pieces in the wholesale market, said another farmer Rashid Bepari from Vimruli area.
“We cannot earn this amount of money from the cultivation of other crops. So many farmers here are cultivating “Bombai Morich” commercially, in the hope of getting satisfactory profits,” said Humaun Mia from Swarupkathi.
Sukharanjan Mistri, 65, of Shakhardi village under Nabagram union of Jhalakathi Sadar, said he had been maintaining his 10-member family by cultivating different varieties of fruits and vegetables including chili.
Soleman Mia, 44, a wholesaler of “Bombai Morich” from Baukathi Pajiputhipara Haat, told the Dhaka Tribune that he collected this variety of chili from different local markets in the area and sent them to Dhaka and other parts of the country after grading them according to their sizes and tastes.
Pran Foods Ltd’s dealer also collects this chili from them on weekly Haat (Bazaar) days, he added.
Md Shahidullah of the Department of Agriculture Extension at Pirojpur and Chinmoy Roy, Jhalakathi Sadar upazila agriculture officer, said “Bombai Morich” was being cultivated commercially in this region as the farmers were reaping large benefits within a short time period without using extra land.