RANGPUR, Dec 25, 2021 (BSS) - Tender plants of groundnut are growing

superbly as sowing of seeds is nearing completion during the current Rabi
season in Rangpur agriculture region.

  Officials of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) said farmers
are expanding groundnut cultivation every year after reaping more profits
than many other crops in recent years following increasing demand of the
crop.

  A target of producing 11,688 tonnes of groundnut from 6,015 hectares of
land has been fixed for all five districts in Rangpur agriculture region
during the current Rabi season.

  "Farmers have so far cultivated groundnut on 5,475 hectares of land, 91.02
percent of the targeted land area, as sowing of seeds will continue till the
next month," said Additional Director of the DAE's Rangpur region
Agriculturist Md. Tauhidul Ikbal.

  Because of conducting motivational activities by the DAE and other
organisations, farmers are showing interest in cultivating high yielding
varieties of groundnut evolved by Bangladesh Agriculture Research Institute
(BARI).

  Farmers are mostly cultivating 'Maizchar', 'Tridana', 'Basonti', BARI-8,
BARI-6, BINA-4, BINA-8 and other high yielding varieties of groundnut after
getting repeated bumper output and lucrative prices in recent years.

  "With the increasing demand of groundnut in the boosting food industry
sector, farmers are expanding groundnut cultivation on main lands and
riverine char areas as well every year," Ikbal said.

  Talking to BSS, Senior Coordinator (Agriculture and Environment) of RDRS
Bangladesh Mamunur Rashid said cultivation of groundnut has become a
profitable venture following its high demand in the boosting food industries.

  Farmers are generally earning around Taka 40,000 by producing up to 30
mounds of high yielding varieties of groundnut per acre of land, spending
about Taka 20,000 as farming costs per acre.

  Groundnut is cultivated three times round the year during the Rabi, Kharif-
1 and Kharif-2 seasons.

  "Around 7,000 farmers, mostly living in char areas, have achieved self-
reliance by cultivating groundnut on char lands across the region improving
their living standard in the last 13 years," Rashid added.

  Farmers Lokman Hossain, Saiful Islam and Saiduzzaman of Char Biswa Nath
village under Kawnia upazila of the district said they have changed fortune
through farming groundnut on char lands over the years to lead solvent life.

  Farmer Abdur Rahman of Char Ghoneshyam village in Sadar upazila of Kurigram
district said he has cultivated groundnut on one acre of char land spending
Taka 20,000 this year.

  Similarly, farmers Abul Hashem, Lokman Hossain and Abdul Haque of Char
Biswanath village said they have cultivated groundnut on more char lands this
year than the previous seasons.

  Groundnut trader Mokhlesur Rahman at Rangpur City Bazar said farmers are
getting a lucrative price of their newly harvested groundnut cultivated
during the Kharif-2 season between Taka 3,200 and 3,500 per mound (every 40
kilogram) in wholesale markets.

  "We are currently selling groundnut to the retailers at rates between Taka
3,500 and Taka 3,800 per mound," he added.