MANIKGANJ, June 17, 2021 (BSS) – The farmers of char areas of Daulatpur, Shibalaya and Harirampur upazilas of the district are happy with getting bumper output of groundnut as harvesting of the cash crop has started on the barren char lands during the current Kharip-1 season.

Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) officials here said the groundnut is generally cultivated on the sandy land and the land of vast char areas of the three upazilas. The char areas of the upazilas are situated by the sides of the river Padma and the Jamuna and these lands are suitable for groundnut cultivation.

Experimentally, some local farmers started to cultivate groundnut on their barren lands which would remain fallow all over the year in the char areas for the last few years, they said, adding that seeing their success, a number of farmers now are cultivating groundnut in the vast char areas of the Jamuna and the Padma rivers.

The char farmers are getting fair prices of the crop between Tk. 2500 and 3000 per mound as per its quality while it has high demand in the local markets.

DAE office sources said a total of 2,520 hectares of land has been brought under groundnut cultivation during the Kharip-1 season in the district compared to 2003 hectares last year.

Hafizur Rahman, 48, one of the groundnut cultivators of village Paruria under Baghutia union of Daulatpur upazila, said he had cultivated groundnut on two bighas of land this season and was getting expected production and prices.

Md. Sabed Ali, 50, another groundnut cultivator of village Barahirchar under Harirampur upazila said groundnut cultivation is gaining popularity in the char areas as it grows on the sandy barren lands and it needs no irrigation.

Now groundnut became one of the important cash crops for the char people, he said, adding groundnut is cultivated twice during winter and summer seasons in a year.

Md. Shahjahan Ali Biswas, Deputy Director of DAE, said the sandy lands of char area are suitable for groundnut cultivation and its cultivation is gaining popularity in the three upazilas day by day.