Many farmers have changed their fortunes by selling seedlings of Cabbage and cauliflower at Churamankati union in Jashore Sadar upazila.
According to the farmers, it costs a little more than Tk 1 lakh to produce Cabbage and cauliflower seedlings by sowing seeds in one Bigha land. It can be sold for more than two and a half lakh taka without any cost.
That is why new farmers are getting interested as the profit is more than the cost of seedling production.
A green scene around a soil road in Abdulpur village. A condition that can catch the eye of any pedestrian. The reputation of Abdulpur village has spread to different parts of the country by producing Cabbage and cauliflower saplings.
Abdulpur village is now known as the village of seedlings. Farmers are planting Cabbage and cauliflower saplings commercially.
Seedling production through seed germination is benefiting them financially every season. One decade ago, the farmers here started producing saplings for their own needs. Copper saplings are now produced on about three hundred and fifty bighas of land.
Cabbage and cauliflower saplings produced here are being sent to different parts of the country every day. Many have turned their fortunes on sapling production. Many farmers have become millionaires.
Local Deputy Assistant Agriculture Officer said, the size of the seedbed is one meter on the side and 3 meters in length. The seedbed has to be prepared by mixing equal amount of sand, soil and organic manure. 7/8 days before planting seedlings in the second seedbed, 100 grams urea, 150 grams TSP and 100 grams MOP fertilizer should be mixed well in each seed bed. If the seedlings do not grow properly later, it is better to sprinkle about 100 grams of urea fertilizer in each seedbed.
Azizur Rahman, a farmer from Abdulpur village, said the seedbed was prepared with beds on the land at the beginning of Ashar. Then cabbage and cauliflower seeds are sown. It takes a month for seedlings to germinate from seed. These saplings are sold to farmers. He has been producing Cabbage and cauliflower saplings for 6 years.
Azizur Rahman also said that this time too he made a total of 60 beds in 12 katha of land and sowed the seeds. The cost of producing seedlings per bed is estimated at one thousand. But he has sold more than two and a half thousand taka per bed.
He mentioned the possibility of earning more money by producing saplings three times. At present good quality cauliflower seedlings are being sold in the market from 1 taka 50 paisa to 1 taka 80 paisa. A little weak sapling is being sold 1 taka per piece.
Farmer Azizur Rahman said that each cabbage sapling (Green-60) is being sold for 50 paisa to 65 paisa.
Another farmer, Osman Gani, said he was growing saplings on one bigha land. The quality of the cabbage plants here is good and it has a reputation in remote areas of the country. As a result, they can sell the seedlings at a higher price.
He added that besides Jashore, farmers from different upazilas of Khulna, Satkhira, Narail, Magura, Kushtia, Jhenaidah, Meherpur and Chuadanga districts came and bought cabbage and cauliflower saplings. He has made lakhs of taka by producing cabbage and cauliflower saplings.
Farmer Ayub Ali said, like last time he has produced seedlings after sowing seeds in one bigha of land. His saplings are being sold here. He has already sold two lakh saplings. He can sell saplings for more than one and a half lakh taka. All in all, he hopefuls that he will be able to earn a large amount of money.
Zakir Hossain, Deputy Assistant Agriculture Officer of Churamankati Union, said that the production of cabbage and cauliflower saplings goes on from Ashar to Kartik. In the meantime the saplings are sold. In the middle of the advancement all the seedlings are sold out. Farmers can produce seedlings three times on the land by making beds wrapped in the same polythene.
He further said that by contacting the farmers, we advise them to maintain the quality of the seedlings. The production of cabbage and cauliflower seedlings from seeds can be an example for farmers in other areas.
