Dinajpur: Mustard cultivation in the district has exceeded the target set by the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) this season, raising hopes for a bumper harvest and increased edible oil production.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Dinajpur DAE Deputy Director Md. Afzal Hossain stated that the cultivation target for mustard in the current season was set at 27,097 hectares of land. However, farmers have surpassed this goal by cultivating mustard on 29,089 hectares, exceeding the target by 2,000 hectares. This cultivated area is also 1,992 hectares higher compared to the previous year.
He further explained that after the harvesting and processing stages, the district is projected to produce approximately 48,575 metric tons of mustard, potentially yielding around 17 million litres of healthy mustard oil.
Farmers in Karnai and Nashipur villages within the Sadar upazila have reported using fallow land between the Aman harvest and the Boro planting for mustard cultivation as an additional crop. They expect to harvest the mustard soon and then proceed with Boro paddy cultivation on the same plots.
The farmers mentioned that the total cost of mustard cultivation per bigha ranges between Taka 10,000 and Taka 12,000. With favourable weather conditions contributing to good yields, they anticipate an average production of 8-9 maunds per bigha.
At the current market prices, farmers expect to earn around Taka 15,000 per bigha, which will help them meet household edible oil needs and generate additional income.
Deputy Director (Research and Training) Md. Mostafizur Rahman highlighted that the initiative was designed to reduce the reliance on imported edible oil while enhancing farmers’ income.
Under a government programme, 2 kg of high-yielding mustard seeds and 20 kg of chemical fertilizers were distributed free of charge to 2,572 farmers across 13 upazilas in the district, a factor that significantly contributed to surpassing the cultivation target.
Sunil Roy, manager of Purbali Oil Mill in Maharaja More, Dinajpur town, noted that approximately 16 litres of oil can be extracted from 40 kg of mustard, equating to nearly 400 litres of oil per metric ton.
Local farmers and agriculture officials have observed that proper guidance and timely support from the agriculture department have led to a steady increase in mustard cultivation annually, thereby strengthening local edible oil production and enhancing farm incomes.