Mustard growers in Kurigram district are expecting a bumper yield as they cultivated more land exceeding the target due to low production cost and favourable weather.
Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE), Kurigram officials said prices of soybean and palm oil have risen sharply in the last two years and increased mustard cultivation can be a solution to edible oil crisis.
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During a recent visit to the mustard fields in the district, the UNB correspondent found that a vast tracts of barren land have been brought under mustard cultivation .
DAE sources said, this year, a total of 16,400 hectares of land have been brought under mustard cultivation while it was 12,900 hectares last year.
Within two months of cultivation, mustard got matured for harvesting and the farmers have to spend Tk 4000-5000 per bigha of land. Usually 5000-6000 mounds of mustard are produced from one bigha of land.
Farmers said after harvest of Aman paddy the land remain uncultivated for 3/5 months and they cultivate mustard to utilise the land during the period. They will cultivate Boro paddy after yield of mustard.
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Deldar Hossain, a farmer of Uttar Nauabas in Pachgachi of Sadar upazila, said “Whatever I cultivate in this char land is often damaged by flood. So, I cultivated mustard after facing losses from Aman cultivation. I am happy now expecting a bumper mustard yield.”
Babul, another farmer of the area said “The lands of the area have remain under water for 3-4 months in a year and when farmers cultivate Aman they count a huge loss. The weather of the area is good for Boro and mustard cultivation. I have brought three bighas of land under mustard cultivation as I can earn some profit from it if weather remains favourable.”
Biplab Kumar Mohonta, deputy director of Kurigram DAE, said, “We are working to increase mustard production as mustard oil production is poor against the demand of the country. We have set a target to produce 50 percent edible oil in our country within several years.”