MANIKGANJ, June, 20, 2023 (BSS) - The harvesting of groundnut, one of the
important cash crops to the vast char people of the district, has started in
full swing with the rising of two big river's -- Padma and Jamuna-- water as
most of the groundnut is cultivated on the dried-up riverbeds.

The farmers of the vast char areas of Daulatpur, Shibalaya and Harirampur
upazilas of the district are expecting a bumper production of groundnut
during the current Kharif-1 season.

The farmers of the areas had started to cultivate groundnut on the vast char
areas from the beginning of the month of February with receding the water of
two rivers--Padma and Jamuna-- and it continued up to the month of April.

The groundnut is generally cultivated on the sandy land, official of
Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) here said, adding: "The sandy char
areas of Daulatpur, Shibalaya and Harirampur are suitable for groundnut
cultivation."

"Experimentally, some local farmers started cultivation of groundnut on their
barren land which would remain fallow all over the year in the char areas for
the last few years, locals said. Seeing their success, a good number of
farmers are now cultivating groundnut in the vast char areas of the Jamuna
and the Padma rivers, they added.
 
The char farmers are getting fair prices of the crop between Taka 3,000 and
4,000 per mound as per its quality while it has high demand in the local
markets.

The DAE office said they set a target of groundnut cultivation on 4,000
hectares of land in the chars of three upazilas of the district during the
Kharif-1 season.

Rifazuddin, one of the groundnut cultivators of Char Kalikapur under Baghutia
union of Daulatpur upazila, said he has cultivated groundnut on two bighas of
land this season.

Md Haidar Ali, another groundnut cultivator of Harirampur upazila, said
groundnut cultivation is gaining popularity in the char areas as it grows in
the sandy barren land and it needs no irrigation and fertilizer.
 
"Now the groundnut has become one of the important cash crops for the char
people here," he said, adding that groundnut is cultivated twice --winter and
summer seasons-- in one year.

The sources said that the cultivators are getting opportunities to sell their
crops at the nearest markets and even at their homes as a good number of
buyers regularly visit the areas for searching the crops.

Abu Mohammad Enayet Ullah, deputy director of the DAE, said the sandy land of
char areas is suitable for groundnut cultivation which is gaining popularity
in the aforesaid three upazilas of the district day by day.

Groundnut cultivation is changing the fortune and lifestyle of the char
people in the district, he added.