Ishwardi representative
The cultivation of corn crops gradually decreases, and on the contrary, the cultivation of vegetables and fruits gradually increases in Ishwardi upazila in Pabna.
As the cultivation of vegetables and fruits is comparatively profitable, the farmers tend to cultivate vegetables and fruits.
Moreover, the production cost of cereals is higher, and on top of it, they do not get the expected price of corn crops. So, the farmers gradually become unwilling to cultivate cereals, said some farmers and agriculture officers of Ishwardi upzila.
Cereal or corn-crop includes paddy, wheat, and maize. And out of those crops, the major change has taken place in the field of the cultivation of paddy.
And cultivation of different kinds of fruits include: lichi, guava, lemon, kul, citrus fruits, and banana. Out of those fruits, the farmers tend to produce lichi and lichi-garden even in the courtyard of the houses.
The farmers said, “In the earlier times, cereals were produced in the fields of the area, and aus paddy, gram and wheat were cultivated abundantly. But the farmers did not get expected market price of those crops, as a result, many farmers lost their interest for cultivation of those crops. Thus, the cultivation of vegetables and fruits increased in Ishwardi.”
Mahmood, a farmer of the upazila, said, “Before two decades, aus paddy and turmeric were cultivated on three and a half bighas of his paternal land, which was a losing concern, then his father started lichi cultivation. At present, they have 45 lichi trees, and from the yield of the trees, they earn annually more than Tk.2 lakh.
It is learnt from the upazila Agriculture Office, that there is total 1 lahk 34 thousand and 235 bighas arable land in the upazila for cultivation of different crops and fruits.
Abdul Latif upazila Agriculture Officer said, “Major changes in cultivation of crops have taken place in the last two decades in Ishwardi. The farmers in the cultivation of vegetables and fruits have left contribution to the nation. And so far 16 farmers of Ishwardi were given national awards. At present, lichi is cultivated on 24 thousand and 375 bighas of land in Ishwardi”