Naogaon:Early winter vegetables have started arriving in markets across the district in abundance, keeping prices at a relatively affordable level for consumers. This year, farmers have cultivated these seasonal crops on 3,355 hectares of land.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, a wide variety of vegetables, including cauliflower, cabbage, spinach, red amaranth, malabar spinach, bitter gourd, eggplant, beans, bottle gourd, radish, okra, cucumber, and ash gourd, are now available in markets in both the district town and rural areas.
A visit to different markets revealed that cauliflower is selling for Taka 80 per kilogram, spinach for Taka 100, gourd for Taka 40, red amaranth for Taka 40, malabar spinach for Taka 40, bitter gourd for Taka 80, eggplant for Taka 100, and beans for Taka 100 per kg. Okra is priced at Taka 60 per kg, radish at Taka 50, and cucumber at Taka 60. Bottle gourds are priced at Taka 30-40 each, while cabbages are selling for Taka 40-50 per piece.
Abdur Rashid, a shopper from Sultanpur visiting Naogaon's Baro Bazar, remarked that winter vegetables were available in sufficient quantities with prices largely within consumers' purchasing capacity. He noted that prices are somewhat lower this year compared to the same time last season.
Abul Kalam Azad, a resident of Naogaon par, shared a similar view, highlighting that the current prices are beneficial for both farmers and consumers. He pointed out that growers are receiving fair prices while buyers are satisfied.
Md Monjur Rahman, Deputy Director of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) in Naogaon, mentioned that the district's naturally fertile soil is favorable for vegetable cultivation, resulting in good production. Farmers are obtaining good prices by cultivating early winter vegetables, with a total of 3,355 hectares of land dedicated to this cultivation.
The DAE reported that the upazila-wise area under early winter vegetable cultivation includes 540 hectares in Naogaon Sadar, 15 hectares in Raninagar, 35 hectares in Atrai, 380 hectares in Badalgachhi, 670 hectares in Mahadevpur, 310 hectares in Patnitala, 250 hectares in Dhamoirhat, 130 hectares in Sapahar, 120 hectares in Porsha, 600 hectares in Manda, and 305 hectares in Niamatpur. Mahadevpur has the largest area under cultivation, followed by Manda and Naogaon Sadar.