Farmers of Bogura have increased their interest in maize cultivation due to low cost of production and low labor cost. Due to this, a record amount of land has been cultivated, and twice the target area of maize has been cultivated. Farmers in different areas of the district are now preparing to sell the maize in the market after harvesting it.
Due to high market price and low cost of production, farmers are leaning towards maize cultivation instead of potatoes. Agriculture department of Bogura thinks that due to which the cultivation has increased.
According to the Agriculture Department, 12 thousand 6 hectares of land have been cultivated in the district this year. Last year, maize was cultivated on 7,710 hectares of land in the district. This year the target of maize cultivation in the district was 8 thousand 710 hectares. As such, the production target was 89 thousand 688 metric tons. But this year so far, corn has been cultivated in 12 thousand 6 hectares of land. Agriculture officials are expecting that 1 lakh 22 thousand 523 metric tons of maize will be produced in the district this time.
The most maize cultivation has been done in Sariakandi upazila, where there are 7 thousand 510 hectares of land in different areas including pasture land. Besides, Gabtali, Dhunat, Shajahanpur, Sonatala upazilas are cultivating corn every year.
Talking to the farmers, it is known that the cost of per bigha of maize cultivation is 10 to 12 thousand taka and the yield is from 30 to 35 mounds per bigha. However, the yield is 40 to 50 mounds per bigha in pasture lands. Chars of Jamuna River in Sariakandi have turned into maize pastures. Somewhere there are green corn plants and in some fields golden corn kernels are piled up in the fields of ripe corn. Farmers of the upazila are working hard to change their fortunes by cultivating corn. Chaluabari, Kajala, Bohail, Hatsherpur, Karnibari, Chandanbaisha and Sadar Union of the upazila are surrounded by paddy fields. But most of the time, farmers cultivate pepper in these pastures. Last year, this upazila cultivated about 3 thousand hectares of land. This time, cultivation has doubled, on 6 thousand 510 hectares of land. Farmers of the upazila say that there was no profit from farming earlier. This year we are seeing the profit of the corn crop.
Farmer Badal Rahman of Hasnapara village of Hatsherpur union cultivated maize on 10 bigha of land this year. After commencing threshing, he raised more than 35 mounds of corn per bigha. They are selling from 900 taka to 1100 taka per mound in the market. He is happy to sell corn at twice the cost of production. Abdul Ghafoor, a farmer of Chhonpacha fodder, said that the yield of maize is higher than other crops. Maize is more profitable at a lower cost. In the meantime, cutting and threshing has started from the corn field. Yield is more than 40 per bigha.
Sariakandi Upazila Agriculture Department said, due to the good yield and price, the fortunes of fodder farmers are changing this time. In this season, 7 thousand 510 metric tons of corn will be produced. Upazila Agriculture Officer Abdul Halim said, due to the good weather this season, the yield of maize has been good. The price is also good in the market. About 22 thousand farmers are involved in this cultivation.
Enamul Haque, Additional Deputy Director of Agriculture Extension Department, said that maize cultivation is more profitable than potato, labor is less and production cost is less, so the farmers of Bogra have chosen maize as it is more profitable at lower cost. Last year, each mound of maize was sold for Tk 800 to Tk 1000. Up to 40 mounds of corn are produced per bigha in the field.
