At least 80 farmers in Brahmanbaria are cultivating sunflower this year to overcome any potential edible oil crisis with sunflower oil.
Sources at the district's Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) said the 80 farmers from Budhal, Majlispur and Machhihata unions of Brahmanbaria Sadar upazila were experimentally growing Hysun-33 breed of sunflower for its oil across 80 bighas of land.
In the meantime, the flowers have begun to grow. People who love nature are coming from different parts of the district to visit the said sunflower flower fields. Many enter the gardens and take pictures.
Farmers have been given free sunflower seeds and fertilizers from the Sadar upazila DAE office.
AhsanUllah, a farmer of sunflower flower in Sutiyara village of Budhal UP, said he used to cultivate different types of vegetables on his land.
For the first time on the advice of the Upazila Agriculture Officer, he cultivated sunflower flowers of Hysun-33 varieties on his land.
He said they were given free sunflower seeds and fertilizers from the agricultural office on 'Mujib Borsho'.
Nuru Mia, a farmer from Chandiara village in the same union, said that he used to cultivate potatoes, coriander, tomatoes and other herbs on his land. This year, for the first time, sunflower has been cultivated on the land, on the advice of the Agriculture Officer.
He said he was given free sunflower seeds and fertilizers from the agricultural office. The Office of Agriculture is constantly monitoring their progress.
MunshiTofailHossain, agriculture officer of Brahmanbaria Sadar upazila, said that no farmer in Sadar Upazila had ever cultivated sunflowers before. This year, for the first time, sunflower cultivars have been cultivated on 80 bighas of land in 11 unions of the upazila.
He said that farmers can harvest seeds from sunflowers within 90-105 days of cultivation. Over six kilograms of sunflower seeds will be harvested from each bigha and they will earn Tk10,000-11,000 per bigha.
"The common soybean oil we buy from the market contains harmful cholesterol, which is detrimental to health," he said. The soybean oil obtained from sunflower seeds contains no harmful cholesterol.
If this time the farmers are able to profit, the cultivation of sunflowers will increase a lot in the future.
In this regard, UNO PankajBarua saidthis is the first time that the farmers of Brahmanbaria have started cultivating sunflowers.
He said that on behalf of the upazila administration and the upazila DAE, they have been providing various assistance to the farmers.
UNO also said that farmers have been given free sunflower seeds and fertilizers to encourage in cultivating sunflower.
