Bumper production of early winter vegetable beans and its fair price have brought delight for the farmers in Sadar upazila of Magura district.
According to the District Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE), the soil and weather of Magura is more favourable for bean cultivation and as it is more profitable than other winter vegetables, most of the farmers have been involved in its cultivation.
This year the DAE has set a target to cultivate bean on 280 hectres of land in Magura and already 350 hectares of land have been brought under bean cultivation, said sources at DAE.
The growers have been successful in cultivating two new varieties of bean – Rupban and IPSA—in their lands which brought good luck for them.
The farmers have planted bean seeds at the end of Bangla month Joishtha. Generally, bean flowers blossom within 35-40 days of cultivation provided the weather remains favourable.
Bumper beans harvest and good price bring delight to Magura farmers
During a recent visit to the upazila, the UNB Correspondent learnt that the bamboo-made platforms for beans are seen everywhere and the plants are flowering.
People also planted beans in their yards and roads at Belanagar village on Magura-Faridpur road.
The bean growers are passing busy time in nurturing their plants and taking care of the bean flowers so no insect can harm them.
Babu Mia, a bean grower of Belnagar village, said “I have been cultivating beans for the past 8-9 years and every year I get profit from it. This year the price of beans is good as each kg of bean is being sold at Tk 80-85.”
“I have bought one bigha of land under bean cultivation and so far I have spent Tk 15-20 thousand but I have earned Tk 10-12 thousand by selling beans this year. I hope I can earn Tk 60-70 thousands more if there is no excessive rainfall,” he said.
Ahmed, another farmer, said “I have brought ten bighas of land under bean cultivation and so far I have spent Tk 5-6 thousand.
He also hopes to get more profit by the end of this year.
Sushanta Kumar Pramanik, deputy-director of District DAE, said “Early bean cultivation is good for Magura as the soil of the district is more suitable for it. But excessive rainfall harmed the bean plant as an insect named nematodes or roundworms infected the plant from root, damaging the root of the bean plant, which caused a dead plant.”
Besides, the rainfall also destroyed the flower of the bean before it bloomed, he said.
Sushanta also asked the farmers to use boric-acid mixed water to avoid damage to their bean plant.
Source: United News of Bangladesh