Early winter vegetables raise hope among Rangpur farmers

Farmers in Rangpur region are eying a bumper production of early winter vegetables and fair prices this season, thanks to favourable weather conditions.

According to the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), early varieties of winter vegetables have already appeared in local markets, making farmers happy with lucrative prices.

The DAE has fixed a target of producing 9,62,103 tonnes of winter vegetables in 41,070 hectares of land in all five districts of Rangpur’s agricultural region this season, said its Additional Director of Rangpur region Md Tauhidul Ikbal.

Farmers have already brought 28,410 hectares of land under cultivation of winter vegetables, 69.17 per cent against the farming target set for the region, he also said.

As a result of different pragmatic steps taken by the government, including the distribution of incentives among farmers, the cultivation of vegetables during winter, summer, Kharif-1 and Kharif-2 seasons has become popular, bringing huge profits for farmers.

The government through agriculture-related departments, organisations, and institutions has taken various steps to assist farmers in making the intensive winter vegetable farming programme a complete success in the region.

Sources said 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 for farmers.

Besides, commercial banks, including Rajshahi Krishi Unnayan Bank, and some NGOs disbursed easy-term agriculture loans among farmers to assist them in farming winter vegetables successfully.

Vegetable trader Monwar of Rangpur district said many varieties of winter vegetables have already appeared in the market abundantly with lucrative prices benefitting farmers.

Meanwhile, vegetable traders of Rangpur are sending huge quantities of the early varieties of winter vegetables to Dhaka and other areas of the country by trucks.

Vegetable trader Abdul Mazid at Mithapukur Bazar in Rangpur said some 150 to 200 trucks loaded with winter vegetables are being sent to the capital city and other places daily.

Farmers Solaiman Ali and Abdul Hamid of Ranipukur village in Rangpur said they started harvesting and selling winter vegetables like cauliflower, cabbage, brinjal, bitter gourd, pointed gourd, bean, ridged gourd, okra, and green chilli in mid-November.

They expressed satisfaction over the current market prices of winter vegetables.

Senior Coordinator (Agriculture and Environment) of RDRS Bangladesh Mamunur Rahman Rashid said farmers are continuing the cultivation of winter vegetables both in the mainland and char areas alongside harvesting the early varieties.