Photo : BSS

SIRAJGANJ, March 10, 2025 (BSS) - Tomato farming through mulching method is 
gaining popularity in the district as the method plays a vital role towards 
making the growers solvent and happy for the last couple of years.

Farmers of the district are getting profit cultivating tomato using the 
method.

Mulching is an eco-friendly method of farming vegetables freed from chemical 
use widely practiced in China and Japan. The method is also helpful towards 
protecting the crops from weed and waterlogging caused by incessant rainfall.

Farmers of the region are seen using the method in vegetable farming 
commercially and they are getting benefits in terms of boosting yield.

Nejab Ali, 40, a farmer of Aliarpur village in Ullapara upazila of the 
district, has benefited by cultivating tomatoes using mulching method. 

Following him, many farmers of the area are now dreaming of cultivating 
tomatoes using the method. 

Talking to BSS, Nejab Ali said, "I have taken training on tomato cultivation 
using mulching method from Manab Mukti Sangstha (MMS). After getting 
training, I prepared beds on 25 decimal of land near my house and planted 
seedlings at the end of October 2024 and started cultivating tomatoes using 
the method." 

"Currently, many people are coming to see it. I have already sold about eight 
maunds of tomatoes in the market, he added. 

He said the total cost of cultivating tomatoes on 25 decimal of land is Taka 
40 to 42 thousand. 

However, this time the profit is a little less because the price of tomatoes 
is low in the market. Despite this, there will be a profit of Taka 25-30 
thousand this year.

MMS Agriculture Officer Mustafa Kamal said mulching is a technique which 
controls the temperature. It also protects the tree from pathogens. It 
prevents excess water. There are no weeds at the base of the tree. To 
cultivate tomatoes in this method, first prepare the land and mix the 
required fertilizer with the soil to make a bed. 

Ullapara Upazila Agriculture Officer Suborna Yasmin Sumi said the crops 
currently being produced here and several farmers have achieved great success 
by cultivating tomatoes. 

Interest among local farmers is increasing day by day as tomato cultivation 
is profitable and they are very happy that both the yield and price of 
tomatoes are good, the agriculture officer added.

In the mulching method, farmers transplant seedlings on beds and cover those 
with either leafy branches of different trees and plants to make the 
seedlings safe.

Farmers of the area said the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) is 
providing all cooperation in this regard.

Farmers cultivated tomatoes on 51 hectares of land in Ullapara upazila. Out 
of this, 15 hectares of land were cultivated using mulching method. 

According to the Agricultural Officer, it is possible to preserve about 10 to 
25 percent moisture in the land by using mulching method. Due to the presence 
of carbon in the mulching paper, it retains moisture and the quality of the 
fertilizer is correct, resulting in increased yield.