Dutch tulips now growing in Panchagarh

The chilly weather in Panchagarh has become a boon for tulip cultivators in Bangladesh, as the flower bulb only thrives in countries with colder climates. Tulips are one of the most popular and admired springtime flowers in the world.

A number of farmers are growing tulips – the national flower of Turkey and the Netherlands – in Sharialjoth village under Tentulia upazila of Rangpur’s Panchagarh district to increase tourism and boost regional economy.

The Eco Social Development Organisation (ESDO) initiated the pilot project with financial backing from the Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation and International Fund for Agricultural Development, local officials say.

Farmers initially planted 40,000 seeds of six kinds of tulips in a 40 decimal of cropland in January this year, which was the country’s largest tulip cultivation drive as yet. At present, the tulips, which are used as ornamental or decorative pieces at different programmes, are mostly imported. Ayesha Akhter, Hosne Ara, Monowara, Morsheda and others, who collectively cultivated 20,000 tulips on 20 decimals of land in the upazila, told The Business Post that cultivation has been successful so far as the plants grow very well.

Md Jahangir Alam, upazila agriculture officer of Tentulia, said the country’s weather is generally not suitable for tulip cultivation, but Tentulia’s temperature in the winter season stays at around 20 degree Celsius in the daytime, showing promise of successful cultivation.

Ayesha Akhter, a successful tulip cultivator, said that acidic, sandy-loamy soil with a pH of between six and seven is ideal for growing tulips, requiring a daytime temperature of within 20 degrees Celsius and night temperature of five to 12 degree Celsius during the growth period.

Direct sunlight in the mornings and evenings is also beneficial for improving the flower’s quality, while partial shades, such as nets, are required during mid-day. Limited use of chemical fertilisers along with enough organic manure is needed for preparing the soil to cultivate tulips. Besides, Panchagarh’s prolonged winter is suitable for tulip cultivation, she added.

Replying to a query, cultivators said the bulbs were brought from the Netherlands at the cost of Tk 61.80 per piece. “The higher quality flowers are currently imported, but if we can continue cultivation, the local currency would be saved,” Ayesha said.

If the tulip cultivation gets as planned, it would add additional attractions for tourists and promote the northern region’s tourism sector, which would play a vital role in improving the lives of locals.