The farmers in six upazilas of Jhenaidah are going to produce 278,155 tonnes of winter vegetables on 12,057 hectares of land this season. Average yield on each hectare is estimated for 23.07 tonnes, said a source related to the department of agriculture extension (DAE) in Jhenaidah Khamarbari.
On the other hand, the farmers are assuming that the production will exceed the farming target as most of the farmers are trying to boost production on additional lands to realize additional money from the vegetables. It will ensure better prices and profit in the season.
Farmer Rustam Ali of Kalicharanpur area in Jhenaidah Sadar and Amit Biswas of Kashinathpur in Shailkupa upazila when contacted said there was a severe crisis of vegetables when most of the vegetables plots went under water and damaged due to incessant rainfall between July and late August. The farmers were trying to produce crops ignoring the rainfall, but failed. It had increased the price that went beyond the capacity of the consumers.
They said realizing the demand of the consumers, they have brought additional land under the vegetables farming. The farmers said most of them had prepared their lands and some of them are bringing radish, bacil (puisakh), palong and some other vegetables in the early season in the market. It has been ensuring additional profit for them as the consumers are welcoming the same during the crisis.
A number of vegetable vendors in Jheanidah Sadar and Kaliganj said they have been receiving new vegetables, especially radish, puisakh and palong since last two weeks. The farmers producing the same in advance to capture the prices due to crisis hours, the vegetable vendors said.
DAE sources said they had planned to produce 278,155 tonnes of winter vegetables in the season in Jhenaidah sadar, Kaliganj, Kotchandpur, bordering Moheshpur, Shailkupa and Harinakundu upazilas on 12,057 hectares of land. They had set target for 23.07 tonnes on each hectare on an average. Yield on each hectare was same in the previous season. The sources said, the farmers will also produce 31,699 tonnes of potato during the season in the district.
Sasti Chandra Roy, Deputy director (DD) of the DAE in Jhenaidah Khamarbari when contacted said they had planned to bring on 12,057 hectares of land this season considering the last season’s achievement, the area of operation might be increased as the farmers had counted huge loss due to incessant rainfall in couple of months. It had created sufferings for the consumers badly. The hardworking farmers will try to recover the losses from the winter vegetables. It will give relief for the consumers as well as benefit the farmers in the same time, DAE deputy director said.
