Home ›› 22 Jan 2022 ›› Nation
Imam Hossain, a farmer of Bongaon village of Sreemangal’s Ashashuni union of Moulvibazar, has turned his fate around by cultivating a high-yielding hybrid bottle gourd variety named “Sultana” at his homestead. He has got a bumper yield and a good return from his production.
“I collected seeds from Lal Teer Seed Limited and planted them in my 33 decimals of cropland beside my homestead,” Imam said. Normally, these plants take 55 days to bear fruits. Each fruit weighs three to four kilogrammes, which sells for Tk 60 to Tk 65, he said, quoting the Department of Agricultural Extension Office of Sreemangal.
“I spent only Tk 3,000 to grow these vegetables and got a return of Tk 25,000 from the sale of my first lot of harvest. Over 45 to 50 tonnes of bottle gourd can be harvested in a bigha of land,” he said, adding that the cultivation of this vegetable lasts for only three months, making it possible for the farmers to cultivate other vegetables around the year.
A good number of Imam’s neighbours also started cultivating hybrid bottle gourd seeing his success with the vegetable. Rahim Miah, one such cultivator, said he and other residents of this area have started planting seeds, and they are expecting a good production by the end of this season.
Tapos Chakraborty, divisional head of Laal Teer Seed Limited, Moulvibazar branch, said this high yielding bottle gourd variety has been developed considering the distinctive characteristics of our country’s soil, climate and weather.
“These bottle gourds are usually 50-centimetre long and greenish complexion. This variety has been proved to be environmentally viable and economically profitable for the farmers,” he said.
Kangkan Mollick, deputy assistant agriculture officer of Sreemangal DAE, said, “Imam Hossain has become an example for other farmers of the district. Seeing his success, more and more farmers are becoming interested in bottle gourd cultivation.
