Bumper yield of sweet potato at low cost in Kurigram, hopes for double profit

Kurigram Correspondent:  A bumper crop of sweet potato has been produced in Ulipur of Kurigram. Farmers smile at less cost and more profit. Farmers in various areas including pastures are leaning towards sweet potato cultivation as it yields three times more than rice and gets better prices. Potato farmers are very happy because of the price and demand of sweet potato in the market. According to the upazila agriculture office, the target level of vegetable cultivation in the upazila this season is about 1 thousand 50 hectares. It also includes the cultivation of sweet potatoes. There is an exhibition of 10 sweet potatoes of Mura Saki and Waki ​​Nawa improved varieties from the Upazila Agriculture Office. Each exhibition covers 20 centuries of land. Free seeds and fertilizers have been distributed to the farmers in all these exhibitions. Also this year, different varieties of sweet potatoes have been planted in the land. As production cost is low and profit is high, farmers are leaning towards sweet potato cultivation instead of paddy cultivation.

On the surface, it can be seen in different areas of the upazila, bumper crop of sweet potato has been achieved. Some are busy in ministry and some are busy picking sweet potatoes. Farmers in various areas including the Teesta rangelands are turning to potato cultivation as they can double their profits in a short period of time at low cost. They said that they are very happy because of the demand and price of sweet potato in the market. Once upon a time, one crop of Aman paddy was cultivated in our grasslands. And during the rest of the year, the land would lie abandoned. Moreover, besides the labor in rice cultivation, the cost is also very high. Therefore, they said that this year they cultivated sweet potatoes under the guidance of the officials of the Upazila Agriculture Office. 

Kader Mia, a sweet potato farmer of Teestar Char area, said that this time he cultivated sweet potatoes on the 20th century land with the help of the Upazila Agriculture Office. Upazila Agriculture Office gave potato cuttings and fertilizers free of charge. The total cost from land preparation till now is about 5 thousand to 6 thousand rupees. He is expecting 20 maunds of potato from here due to bumper yield so far. In a few days, the potatoes will be raised and marketed. 7' to 8' per quintal is being sold in the current market. He expects around 14 thousand to 16 thousand rupees. He also said that he is expecting Tk 10,000 even after raising the expenses. 

Besides, Maidul Islam, Liakat Ali and Osman among the sweet potato farmers of different areas including Teestar Char area and many others said that it is possible to get double profit in sweet potato cultivation in a short time with little cost. Deputy Assistant Agriculture Officer Mustafa Kamal encouraged us to cultivate sweet potato from our Upazila Agriculture Office. After that I cultivated sweet potatoes. Very good yield. Hope to get double profit.

Deputy Assistant Agriculture Officer Mustafa Kamal said that many people have now cultivated sweet potatoes as farmers in various areas including the Teesta grasslands have been encouraged to cultivate sweet potatoes. Very good yield. Hope they will benefit a lot. 

Upazila agriculture officer and agronomist Md. Mosharof Hossain said that it is possible to double the profit in a short period of time in the cultivation of sweet potato. Sweet potato is in high demand in the market due to its nutritional value. Now the farmers are preparing to pick potatoes from the field. Moreover, in addition to the double yield in the current season compared to other years, there is a smile on the faces of the farmers in the hope of more profit at a lower cost due to the good price in the market.

 

Comments (0)