Pink cabbage is an entirely new vegetable in Jashore. This is the first time this vegetable was cultivated. Amin Uddin, a farmer, cultivated pink cabbage four months ago at Poltadanga field in Churamonkati Haibatpur area. Seeing good yields in his field, more than 10 to 12 farmers of the same village cultivated the new vegetable in their fields too.
Like other cabbage seeds, the fruit appears on the plant within 45 days of planting and the vegetables are ready to sell within 60 to 70 days.
Amin Uddin said that although, he experimentally planted 4 pink cabbage plants last season, he started commercial cultivation like other vegetables this year. For the first time this season, he cultivated pink cabbage on two bighas of land. The production cost was around 35 thousand Tk. However, he has sold cabbage worth of Tk 45 thousand, already. He expects to earn Tk 1.5 lakh more from selling the rest of the cabbages of his field.
He also informed that the wholesale price of Pink Cabbage is Tk 22. Traders from surrounding areas including Jashore District are regularly coming to his field to buy these vegetables, as there is a huge demand for it. Many farmers like him are benefiting financially by cultivating this pink colored vegetable.
Zaheerul Islam, Agriculture Officer of Churamankati union Of Jashore, said that this new type of pink cabbage was cultivated for the first time on 4 hectare land in the area this season. Last season, Amin Uddin caught the attention of many farmers by producing it experimentally.
The Department of Agricultural Extension advises these farmers regularly. He hopes that the cultivation will increase further in the future.
Additional Deputy Director of the Jashore District Agricultural Extension Department, Sushanta Kumar Tarafdar, said that cabbages were cultivated in 80 hectares of land in eight upazilas of Jashore district. However, the cultivation of pink cabbage started in the district recently. Farmers are getting higher prices on this vegetable than ordinary cabbage. Moreover, these vegetables contain plenty of vitamins and minerals that prevent cancer. It controls blood sugar and keeps the skin beautiful as well.