The farmers in Jhenaidah had brought 45 per cent additional land under the sunflower farming in the season as against the last year achievement for 27 hectares. It will help reduce the edible oil import from abroad partially and the farmers will be benefited financially.
Area of sunflower farming will be at least double within a few years when the farmers have been leaning towards the farming, said the officials of the department of agriculture extension (DAE) in Jhenaidah.
Farmer Sagar Hossain of Barogabla village under Shailkupa upazila of
Jhenaidah when contacted said he had cultivated the oil seeds on his 120 decimals of land in the season. Of the area, 60 decimals was treated as demonstration when the DAE in Jhenaidah have provided fertilizer and seeds free of cost. He is expecting about Taka 1.6 lakh from the seeds which might ensure a profit for Taka 1.20 lakh for him. A number of farmers in Jhenaidah Sadar had expressed almost same opinion about the sunflower farming.
According to the office sources of Jhenaidah Khamarbari DAE, the farmers in the district had produced a total of 54 tones of sunflower in the district on 27 hectares of last season. They are going to harvest at least 80 tones of the oil seeds in the current season from 39 hectares of land.
Upazila wise break up for sunflower farming was two hectares in Jhenaidah Sadar, highest 17 hectares in Kaliganj, four hectares in Moheshpur and Shailkupa each and six hectares in Kotchandpur and Harinkundu upazila each. Deputy Director of Jhenaidah Khamarbari DAE Asgar Ali when contacted said the expansion of sunflower faring area was a significant activities of the farmers in Jhenaidah when the government has been importing huge edible oil to meet national demand. Farming of the crop will help reduce the import of the oil seeds or oil and save the national economy even in smaller scale. Further, oil cake produced from the seeds will be used for chicken, fish and cattle heads throughout the country.
He had advised the field level activists of the DAE titled as sub assistant agriculture officer (SAAO) to assist the farmers engaged in sunflower farming, DAE deputy director said.