Farmers are increasingly turning to vermicompost, which is made by providing organic waste as a food source to earthworms and then collecting their excrement, relying less on chemical fertilisers in the greater Jessore region.
They are using this organic manure after practically learning that it increases land fertility resulting in a better yield.
Farmers from Jessore Sadar upazila’s Sheikhhati, Ghurulia, Madhugram, Khajura, Basundia, Rupdia, Jhenidah’s Barobazar, Chuadanga’s Alamdanga and various areas in Kushtia collect and use this manure on their farmland.
Farmer Abdur Razzak who lives at Jessore Sadar upazila’s Ghrulia village, said he uses vermicompost on his 40 percent of IRRI paddy land and on 13 percent of his vegetable land, resulting in a bumper output. According to him, the vermicompost guarantees poison-free food in the world.
Farmer Jalaluddin who lives at Madhu village said he used vermicompost on his cabbage and cauliflower land and so has got a better yield this year compared to the previous years when he used to use chemical fertilisers and other inputs.
Besides, the colour, size and taste of the vegetables grown with organic manure are better, which is why he could sell his cabbages and cauliflowers per piece at Tk2 more than the average marker prices, he said.
Farmer Jalal said he would like to apply this organic manure in his vegetable land from next year on.
Farmer Abu Hossain, who lives at Jessore Sadar upazila’s Sheikhhati, said he used vermicompost on his three bighas of land but found only five to six kgs of paddy with no rice this inside it while it was 40kgs of such paddy last year.
Besides, paddy output was better and vermicompost is less costly, he said, adding that he would use the organic manure this year too.
These farmers collect this organic manure from Aminul Islam Litu who has been doing organic manure business since he set up a vermicompst plant beside the district’s downtown HMM Road on the bank of the Bhairab river in 2012.
Talking to the Dhaka Tribune, Litu said a farmer needs to spend Tk4500-500 for chemical fertilisers for growing crops on 33 decimals of land, but this cost can be cut down to Tk2600 only by applying the organic manure on such an area of land twice in a season.
In an upsetting tone, he said: “I applied to the government for permission to go for commercially producing vermicompost and doing its business but have not yet got any response.”
Vermicomposter Helaluddin of Moheshwarchada village in Jhenidah’s Kaliganj upazila is the pioneer of this organic manure in the region. Litu is one of around 4000 people who have learnt about the method of making vermicompost from him in the region.
Regional vermicompost pioneer Helal told the Dhaka Tribune: “We are being forced to eat poisonous food by growing our food crops with chemical fertilisers and other inputs
“The government should promote the vermicompost at every nook and corner so that we can take poison-free food easily.”
Regional Agriculture Research Centre official Monirul Islam said: This manure has become popular in the region for a few years. Farmers are increasingly using it every year.” “Researchers have not yet found any bad side in the vermicompost and so they all are positive about its use,” he said.