Farmers have expressed satisfaction over the lucrative price of ginger in local markets as the harvest of the spicy crop cultivated during the Kharif-1 season continues in full swing in Rangpur agriculture region.
Officials at the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) said farmers are happy with the market price of ginger and expecting an excellent production of the spice in the region despite a little shortfall in attaining the fixed farming target this season.
“The DAE had fixed a target of bringing 3,360 hectares of land under ginger cultivation to produce 51,870 tons of ginger during the Kharif-1 season ,” Additional Director of the DAE for Rangpur region Agriculturist Muhammad Ali told BSS.
Under the intensive of spicy crop farming program, farmers finally have cultivated ginger 3,165 hectares, 195 hectares less than the fixed farming target, in all five districts of the region.
The farmers have cultivated ginger on 1,145 hectares in Rangpur, 305 hectares in Gaibandha, 406 hectares in Kurigram, 370 hectares in Lalmonirhat and 939 hectares in Nilphamari.
“The DAE is providing necessary training and latest technologies as well as motivation to farmers while commercial banks are providing easy-term agriculture loans to support ginger cultivation among other spices,” Ali said.
Talking to BSS, farmers Alef Uddin, Khorshed Alam, Abdus Sattar, Nur Mohammad and Abdul Hakim of Rangpur Sadar upazila said they have already begun harvesting their cultivated ginger.
Farmers Solaiman Ali, Awal Hossain, Habibur Rahman and Lal Mohammad, Manik Sarker and Bipul Chandra of Saidpur and Sadar upazilas of Nilphamari district said they are expecting bumper output of ginger.
“We are selling newly harvested ginger cultivated during the Kharif-1 season at lucrative rates between Tk100 and Tk120 per kg to the local ginger traders,” said farmer Mohsin Ali of Kathihara village in Rangpur Sadar upazila.
Retail vegetable trader Hafizur Rahman at City Bazar Market in Rangpur city said they are selling ginger produced during the last Rabi season at rates between Tk240 and Tk260 per kg now.
“The newly harvested ginger during this Kharif-1 season is being sold at rates between Tk125 and Tk140 per kg in local markets,” said vegetable trader Fazlur Rahman at Keranipara Kitchen Market in Rangpur city.
Talking to BSS, Agriculturist Dr Md Abdul Mazid, lauded the government for taking various steps through the DAE and other agriculture-related organisations to increase the production of spicy crops.
“There is an ample opportunity to increase the production of ginger and other spicy crops by bringing fallow lands, including homesteads, across Rangpur agriculture region under the farming of high yielding varieties of the same for the purpose,” Mazid said.
