A farmer has profited through seasonal vegetable cultivation in Nilphamari.
Rashidul Islam, 37, from the Shumulbari union of the Jaldhaka upazila not only profited from farming but he is now financially solvent and supporting his family.
He also developed a vegetable orchard in his village where he has employed 10 labourers.
Apart from selling vegetables in the local market, his products are also selling in different kitchen markets in Dhaka city.
Rashidul is happy as there was a bumper yield this season with a hefty profit.
Cucumber, gourd, bitter gourd, snake gourd, teasle gourd, water pumpkin, jelly pumpkin and many other vegetables were cultivated in the orchard.
The price per piece of gourd and jelly pumpkin is sealing at Tk16-Tk20, snake gourd at Tk27-Tk30 per kg, cucumber at Tk20-Tk25 per kg and and bitter gourd is selling as Tk35 per kg.
Rashidul first took training from the Syngenta Foundation for Sustainable Agriculture (SFSA) and bought plant seeds from there at a reasonable price.
In the first year, he cultivated vegetables on 40-45 decimals of land which brought him a net profit of Tk75,000. Later he leased more land and cultivated 12 bighas of land.
He said: “In every season, per bigha production cost is around Tk30,000 and from which vegetables can be picked six to seven times. I already picked vegetables twice this season and I have sold Tk300,000 worth of vegetables.”
Feeling satisfied, he said: “I do not have to go to the market to sell my products rather, wholesalers come to my house and pay cash to buy. Apart from that, even people from the surrounding neighbourhood comes to me every day for my vegetables.”
He also said if the local agriculture office would come forward to assist him, he could be benefitted more.
Rashidul’s father Adbul Jabbar, 65, said: “Through my son’s vegetable cultivation we are now coming out of insolvency.”
Workers of the vegetable orchard said, earlier they were unable to get day jobs and now they get paid Tk350 per day to work, which is helping them to support their families.
Balarpukur Farmers’ Hub Coordinator Anwarul Islam told Dhaka Tribune: “We coordinate farmers' products and markets but our main focus is to give them proper training.”
Upazila Agriculture Officer Mafuzul Haque said: “We provide all kinds of necessary support to farmers in the region. As the weather was favourable this season, there has been a bumper yield of vegetables; both demand and prices are high in the markets.”