Rangpur: Farmers across all five districts of the Rangpur agricultural region achieved a bumper harvest by producing 573,382 tonnes of summer vegetables during the just concluded Kharif-1 season. At the same time, farmers of all five districts of Rangpur, Gaibandha, Kurigram, Lalmonirhat, and Nilphamari are very happy with the good yield and profitable prices of the summer vegetables.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, after completing the harvest of summer 'Kharif-1' vegetables last week and earning good profits, farmers across the region have now turned their attention to cultivating 'Kharif-2' season vegetables. Market sources report that abundant vegetables from the current 'Kharif-2' season have arrived in local markets, and farmers are fetching good prices now. Additionally, large quantities of 'Kharif-2' vegetables are being transported daily from various parts of the region to the capital and other areas of the country.
Officials from the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) said that a target of producing 5,65,791 tonnes of summer vegetables was fixed from 30,085 hectares of land for the Rangpur agricultural region during the justed Kharif-1 season. However, farmers have finally cultivated Kharif-1 summer vegetables on 31,077 hectares of land (excluding damages on 53 hectares of land by flood and rain), exceeding the set farming target by 992 hectares or 3.30 percent in the region.
"Farmers have already completed harvesting Kharif-1 vegetables and produced 5,73,382 tonnes, exceeding the set production target by 7,591 tonnes or 1.34 percent," Additional Director of DAE for Rangpur region Agriculturist Md Saiful Islam told BSS today. He further stated that farmers are currently busy cultivating vegetables for the Kharif-2 season.
Talking to BSS, farmers Jahurul Alam and Solaiman Ali of village Ranipukur in Mithapukur upazila of Rangpur said that they had cultivated bitter gourd, brinjal, Borboti, Potol, Dudhkushi, Jhinga, Kakrol, chili, and leafy vegetables and got bumper yield this time. Local fariahs Faruk Hossain, Borhan Uddin, and Mokhlesur Rahman said they generally purchase summer vegetables from farmers on their fields and sell to merchants at wholesale markets with 15 to 20 percent profits on an average.
A number of merchants at Palichara Bazar in Sadar upazila, wholesale markets of Shothibari and Jaigirhat in Mithapukur upazila and Rangpur city market said that the daily Kharif-2 season vegetables supply is normal despite recent rains. "The supply of Kharif-2 season vegetables is normal, but prices are a bit high," proprietor of Bithi Banijyalaya at Rangpur city wholesale market Md Delwar Hossain told BSS this afternoon.
Retailers in different kitchen markets of Rangpur said they buy vegetables from wholesale market traders and sell them to consumers at a profit of 15 percent. Retailers Moksed Hossain and Md Hafizur Rahman of Rangpur city market and Fazlur Rahman and Nurul Islam of Keranipara kitchen market in Rangpur city said that farmers are happy to get fair prices for summer vegetables.
Consumers are currently buying Dudhkushi at Taka 45, Kakrol at Taka 60 and Jhinga at Taka 70-80 per kg, Potol at Taka 50 and brinjal at Taka 60-120 per kg, cucumber hybrid at Taka 40 and local 70-80, potato at Taka 20-50 per kg, papaya at Taka 20 and green chilli at Taka 200 per kg, radish at Taka 40-50, onion at Taka 40-45, local ginger at Taka 240 per kg and Chinese ginger at Taka 160 per kg, local garlic at Taka 120 per kg and Chinese garlic at Taka 180 in these local markets.
"Besides, Bitter Gourd is being sold at Taka 60-80 per piece, Cabbage at Taka 80 per kg, Pumpkin at Taka 50 per kg, Coriander at Taka 300 per kg, Gourd at Taka 30-50 per piece, Drumstick [Sajina] at Taka 200 per kg, Borboti at Taka 40 fybrif 80 per kg, Arum Roots at Taka 50 per kg and Ol Kochu [elephant foot yam] at Taka 60-80 per kg, Tomato 100, Carrot 140 and Lemon 20-30 [every 4 piece]," Fazlur Rahman said.