RANGPUR, March 15, 2022 (BSS) - Farmers are happy getting excellent

production with lucrative prices of vegetables cultivated during this Rabi
season in all five districts of Rangpur agriculture region.

     Officials of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) said harvest
of winter vegetables is nearing completion with excellent yield rate
predicting a bumper production of the crops this season.

     The DAE had fixed a target of producing 9,62,103 tonnes of winter
vegetables from 41,073 hectares of land for Rangpur, Gaibandha, Kurigram,
Lalmonirhat and Nilphamari districts in Rangpur agriculture region.

     However, farmers finally have cultivated winter vegetables on 40,116
hectares of land, less by 957 hectares of land or 2.32 percent against the
fixed farming target in the region.

     "Farmers have already harvested vegetables on 33,565 hectares of land
producing 8,17,516 tonnes of the crop with an average yield rate of 24.36
tonnes per hectares," said Additional Director of the DAE's Rangpur region
Agriculturist Md. Tauhidul Ikbal

     Deputy Director of the DAE for Rangpur Agriculturist Md. Obaidur Rahman
Mandal said cultivation of vegetables has become a popular venture both in
the mainland and char areas in the region bringing huge profits to farmers.

     Following various pragmatic steps taken by the government, including
distribution of incentives among farmers, cultivation of vegetables during
winter, summer and Kharif-1 and Kharif-2 seasons has become popular round the
year bringing huge profits to farmers.

     "The DAE, Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute, Bangladesh
Agricultural Development Corporation and other organisations provided quality
seeds of winter vegetables, incentives, agri-inputs and technical assistance
to farmers," he said.

     Commercial banks including Rajshahi Krishi Unnayan Bank and NGOs are
disbursing easy-term agriculture loans among farmers to make the intensive
vegetables farming programs successful in all seasons round the year.

     Senior Coordinator (Agriculture and Environment) of RDRS Bangladesh
Mamunur Rahman Rashid said expanded cultivation of vegetables both on the
main lands and char areas have helped farmers a lot in tackling the crisis
during the Covid-19 pandemic.

     "Cultivation of vegetables is expanding every year following repeated
bumper production with lucrative prices changing the fortune of many farmers
across the region in the last 13 years," he added.

     Talking to BSS, a number of farmers said continuous harvest of winter
vegetables with excellent yields and lucrative market prices made them happy
bringing excellent profits this season.

     Vegetable trader at Shothibari Bazar in Mithapukur upazila here Lokman
Hossain said vegetables traders are exporting huge winter vegetables to
capital Dhaka city and other parts of the country daily by trucks from
different points of the region.

     "Some 120 trucks loaded with vegetables are being sent to the capital
city and other places daily from Rangpur agriculture region," Hossain said,
adding that the market price of winter vegetables has started soaring as the
season is nearing completion.