Cultivation of Sunflower started for the first time at the Haor region of Sunamganj. Agriculture officials at Sunamganj have mentioned that the elevated land of Haor region bears an immense possibility of sunflower cultivation.
Under the incentives of Agriculture Extension Department, a total of 27 hectares of land have been brought under sunflower cultivation in eight upazilas of the district. Farmers hoped, they would earn more profit by cultivating sunflower than other crops.
Sunflower farmers informed, the sunflower yields oil, oil-cake and fuel (dried stick). At least a half litre of oil can be extracted from per kilogramme of seed. Per litre of oil is sold at Taka 250.
DAE sources informed, farmers have cultivated sunflower in several villages of Surma, Jahangirnagar, Bangarchar, Mollapara and Gorarang, Badaghat, Salukabad, Rampur, Shahpur and Bahadurpur, Govindganj, Saidrgaon, Noarai, Jauabazar and unions of the district.
Abdur Rahman of Salampur village informed he has been cultivating sunflower in his field hoping for a good yield and profit.
Scientific Officer of BINA sub-centre Majharul Islam informed, the oil produced from sunflower seed is of good quality and nutritious. The sunflower stands next to Olive oil in quality.
Dipak Kumar Das, Agriculture Officer of Bishwambarpur upazila informed, cultivation of sunflower was more profit bearing. He hoped, cultivation of sunflower will further increase in the upazila in future.
Safar Uddin, Deputy Director of DAE, Sunamganj said, sunflower has been cultivated in more than 200 bighas of land in eight upazilas of the district for the first time. He added, cultivation of sunflower was profitable and DAE was providing seeds and fertilisers to the farmers as incentives to cultivate sunflower. Haor people were being increasingly interested to cultivate sunflower in their fields, he further added.
