Photo: Collected

DINAJPUR, March 23, 2025 (BSS) – Putul Rani, 34, a housewife from Harirampur village in Parbatipur upazila under the district, has become successful in making her self-reliant by producing vermicompost, a process that uses earthworms to break down organic waste into nutrient-rich fertilizer. 

For her success, many people of her village have focused on the production of this organic fertilizer. About 15 to 20 women of the village are now producing earthworm fertilizer commercially.

Putul Rani, wife of Prabhas Chandra Roy of Harirampur village in Parbatipur upazila of the district, said that she is running the household expenses by selling vermicompost fertilizer. She is also paying for the education of her son and daughter.

She said that each kg of earthworm fertilizer is being sold at Tk 15 to Tk 20. With the help of Parbatipur Upazila Agriculture Department, the farmers of different areas, including Phulbari and Chirirbandar upazilas of the district bought earthworm fertilizer from her. 

As the vermicompost produced by her is of good quality, farmers are applying it to their crop fields to have good harvest. As a result, the demand for his earthworm fertilizer is gradually increasing in her upazila and neighboring upazilas as well.

Putul Rani has appointed four female workers at daily wage of Tk 250 each to help her in producing earthworm fertilizer. With their help, he is able to produce earthworm manure from 80 kg to 100 kg per day. Fertilizer produced by her is being bought daily by farmers from her house with payment in cash.

Putul Rani told BSS that in 2018, she took training in making earthworm fertilizer and quick compost from the agriculture department of Parvatipur upazila of the district.

Then she started the production of earthworm fertilizer by placing two rings in the courtyard of the house. Presently, her earthworm farm is called 'Barharipur CIG Mahila Fosal Sambay Samity Limited'.

Putul said that initially she started production with 30 earthworms but currently there are more than three million earthworms in her farm. 

Earthworms usually lay eggs in dung, from which 7 to 8 new earthworms hatch. Each ring yields about 40 kg of fertilizer. At present around 2500 kg to 3000 kg of vermicompost is being produced from 60 rings per month. 

She earns Tk 40,000 to 45,000 per month excluding expenses by selling earthworm fertilizer. 

Besides, earthworms can be sold at the rate of Tk 800 per kg. Faisal Hossain, field officer of agriculture department of Harirampur union of Parbatipur upazila of the district, said that earthworm fertilizer increases soil fertility, increases water holding capacity and plays an effective role in keeping the soil soft. 

Deputy Director of Dinajpur District Youth Development Department Md Rawonak Hossain said that he recently visited Putul Rani's earthworm farm located in Harirampur village of Parbatipur upazila. 

By succeeding in the production of earthworm fertilizer, he said, Putul Rani not only changed her own destiny, but also showed the way for the women around her to become self-reliant. 

With her inspiration, he said, many women in the village are coming forward in producing organic fertilizer.

He said that these working women are being assisted to become self-reliant by providing low interest loans on behalf of the Youth Development Department.