Khulna: Farmers in Dumuria upazila of Khulna district are anticipating substantial profits from cultivating early winter beans this year. The combination of favorable weather, fertile soil, and strong market demand has encouraged more farmers in Dumuria to engage in early winter bean cultivation.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, a recent visit to Tipna village in the Kharnia union of Dumuria upazila revealed that farmers are actively tending to their plants, which are laden with freshly grown beans. Hundreds of farmers have adopted early bean varieties, especially around fish enclosures, and are already seeing returns on their investment.
Md Habibur Rahman, a 50-year-old farmer from Tipna village, reported planting the BARI variety of beans this season. He noted the optimal timing for cultivation and the excellent flowering conditions this year. Rahman, who has been farming beans since 2007, adheres to guidelines from the local agriculture office to ensure high yields. He cultivates beans on five bighas of land around his fish enclosures and currently harvests around 22 to 23 maunds of beans weekly, selling each maund for Tk 3,800 to Tk 4,200 in local markets. With an initial investment of Tk 20,000 per bigha for seeds and other costs, Rahman has already sold beans worth Tk 3.46 lakh and expects to earn an additional Tk 4 to 5 lakh in the coming weeks.
Inspired by Rahman's success, other local farmers such as Sheikh Jahangir Alam, Khalek Gazi, and Shanti Rani have also embraced early bean cultivation. Their estimated cultivation costs per bigha range from Tk 20,000 to Tk 25,000, and they anticipate earning over Tk 1.5 lakh per bigha if favorable weather continues.
Sheikh Jahangir Alam, another farmer from Tipna village, shared his transformation from a rickshaw-van puller to a bean cultivator, which significantly improved his economic situation. He leased three bighas of land for bean cultivation and has already sold produce worth Tk 1.7 lakh, with expectations of an additional Tk 1 lakh in the next two months.
School teacher Sheikh Mahtab Hossain and farmer Shanti Rani also reported positive outcomes from their bean farming endeavors, emphasizing the financial benefits and market demand for early beans. Vegetable vendor Awal Sheikh corroborated these reports, collecting 40 to 50 maunds of beans daily from various villages.
Dumuria Upazila Agriculture Officer, Agriculturist Md Insad Ibne Amin, highlighted the extensive vegetable farming in the upazila, with 315 hectares dedicated to early bean cultivation. Deputy Director of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) in Khulna, Md Nazrul Islam, described bean cultivation as revolutionary, playing a crucial role in farmers' livelihoods.
The DAE data indicates that approximately 540 hectares in Khulna district are under early winter bean cultivation this season. Additional Director of Khulna Agriculture Zone, Md Rafiqul Islam, noted the increasing area under bean cultivation, contributing to farmers' economic progress.