Farmers have started harvesting the green Chillies cultivated in the char areas of Shariakandi upazila of Bogura. As in previous years, hybrid varieties of Chillies have been produced across the char regions this year.
Moreover, they are pleased with the good prices in the market, and with the new harvest entering the market, prices have started to decline as well.
It was learnt that, Shariakandi upazila in Bogura has long been renowned for Chilli farming. Like every year, farmers planted various hybrid Chilli varieties early this season as soon as the floodwaters receded and the soil reached the desired moisture level. However, due to late rainfall toward the end of the season this year, early-planted Chillies were affected by pests and diseases.
The prevalence of diseases that rot the Chillies was higher than usual, which required farmers to replant Chilli seedlings multiple times. Despite these challenges, the weather over the past few weeks has been favorable for Chilli cultivation in the upazila. Consequently, the Chilli plants have grown well, and a significant amount of Chillies has grown on the plants. Farmers are now busy harvesting their mature green Chillies and marketing them.
Female agricultural laborers in the upazila are working tirelessly in an organized manner, harvesting green Chillies across the char regions. They earn wages ranging from Tk 250 to Tk 300 per day for working in the field.
Lebu Mia, a resident of Partit Porol village in Shariakandi sadar union, said that he cultivated hybrid Chillies on 10 bighas of land this year. He grows Chillies every year and finds it profitable. This year, right after planting the seedlings, excessive rainfall led to an outbreak of diseases that rot the Chillies. As a result, the condition of the Chilli plants was poor initially. However, with proper care, the plants grew well later. Under the favorable weather conditions, the plants have now yielded a good amount of Chillies. So far, he has harvested Chillies three times from his field. Each time, he harvested five to eight maunds of Chillies from per bigha of land. He sold the Chillies in the market at Tk 2,800 to Tk 4,000 per maund.
Rafiqul Islam, a wholesale trader in Shariakandi upazila, mentioned that large quantities of green Chillies have started arriving at the different wholesale markets in the upazila. Along the banks of the Jamuna River, four to five wholesale markets for fresh produced Chillies have been established. Each market receives 150 maunds to 200 maunds of Chillies every day. The price of per maund of white Chillies ranges from Tk 2,100 to Tk 2,200, while black Chillies sell for Tk 2,800 to Tk 3,000.
According to Department of Agricultural Extension of Shariakandi upazila, Chillies were cultivated on 3,310 hectares of land in the upazila last year, yielding 4,750 metric tonnes of dried Chillies. This year, the target was set cultivate Chillies on 3,200 hectares of land. However, Chillies were cultivated on 3,170 hectares of land due to adverse weather conditions during the sowing and planting period.
Shariakandi Upazila Agriculture Officer Abdul Halim said that unfavorable weather conditions at the beginning of the season caused problems for the Chilli plants. However, with guidance from the agriculture department and subsequent favorable weather, there was a good Chilli production in various areas of the upazila.
Farmers are now selling green Chillies in the market at profitable prices, which has alleviated the Chilli shortage in the market. As a result, Chilli prices have started to decline.
