Different species of mustard seeds has been cultivated on 11,030 hectares of land in Joypurhat district this year. Local farmers are expecting bumper yield from this mustard huge cultivation, as the weather conditions are favourable.
Joypurhat district is known as the granary and food surplus district. Field after field in the district are now full of mustard yellow flowers, putting smiles on farmer’s faces. Mustard growers in the region are expecting a great yields and hoping for excellent profit, seeing the massive bloom of the mustard flowers.
Among the total 11,030 hectares of land, 3,650 hectares in Joyputhat Sadar, 4,870 hectares in Panchbibi, 300 hectors in Kalai, 910 hectares in Khetlal and 1,003 hectors of land has been brought under mustard firming in the district this year.
Farmers are becoming more and more interested in mustard cultivation this season, because of the high prices of mustard in the local market last year. Some local farmers said that right after harvesting Aman paddy, the lands were prepared and mustard seeds were planted on them.
This crop can be harvested within two months of planting the seeds and five to six mounds of mustard is produced per Bigha of land. The cost of mustard cultivation in one Bigha of land is between Tk 1 lakh and Tk 13 lakh, they said while, the current market price of mustard seeds is about Tk 14,000 to 18,000.
Farmers of the district cultivated the best varieties of mustard seeds including Bari-14, Bari-15, Bari-17, Bari-18, Bela-4 and Bela-9. “We cultivate mustard every year after harvesting Aman paddy”, said farmer Sultan Mahmood of Halatri village in Joypurhat Sadar Upazila and farmer Lutfor Rahman of Ayma Rasulpur village in Panchbi upazila.
“Now as the planting rate of mustard has improved, the flower bloom is also very good. If the weather is favourable, we hope to have a bumper yield”, said farmer Liaqat Hossain of Sibsamudra village of Kalai upazila.
“After harvesting and threshing the mustard, we sell it in the market and with that money we plant Boro paddy on the land without extra cost. There is no need to apply extra fertilizer on the land. In a word, it is an extra crop for us”, said Abul Hossain, a farmer of Jhamutpur village under Zindarpur Union and Akkas Ali of Mahmudpur Village under Roykali Union in Akkelpur upazila.
Deputy Director of Joypurhat Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) S M Meftahul Bari said, the present weather has been favourable for mustard cultivation, there is no hope of the sun in the field and there has been no disease attack in the mustard field. So far, mustard trees and flowers are in a very good position.
Compared to last year, mustard cultivation has increased this year. To further increase mustard firming, the government has cooperated with the local farmers. Free DAP, MOP, Potash, Urea Potash fertilizer and seeds have been distributed among the farmers to this end, added the Deputy Director of Joypurhat DAE.
