Home ›› 10 Feb 2022 ›› Nation
The Netherlands’ favourite, Tulip, a symbol of love across the globe, has caught the attention of some enthusiastic cultivators and they are commercially cultivating the exotic flower for the first time in the country ahead of Valentine’s Day, expecting a good profit.
Tulip, the national flower of Turkey and the Netherlands, grows from bulbs. Most Tulips thrive in colder winters because of the long-chilling requirement for bulbs. The flower comes in many colours like orange, pink, cherry, magenta, salmon, crimson, purple, apricot, lilac, mauve, blue, yellow, apricot, violet, terracotta, red, scarlet, chocolate and brown, along with many shades.
With facilitation from the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), these cultivators have imported the Tulip bulbs from the Netherlands and other native countries and started cultivating the flower on an experimental basis utilising the winter in Bangladesh.
Delowar Hossain, a flower enthusiast of Purbakhanda in Gazipur’s Sreepur, has initiated the cultivation of Tulips, a flower that traditionally blooms in colder climates for the first time in Bangladesh in 2020. Now, he is farming the flowers for commercial sale from his farm ‘Moumita Flowers’ this season.
Delwar said he brought 1,000 Tulip bulbs from the Netherlands and planted those in his garden in 2019 on an experimental basis. Per 100 pieces of Tulip brought from abroad are sold here for Tk 700-800, Delwar said, adding that one could make a profit by selling per 100 pieces for Tk 400-500 if the flower is cultivated in the country.
The local demand is currently being met importing flowers from the Netherlands, China, India and other countries, Delwar said, adding that initiatives could be taken to cultivate the flower in northern districts considering low temperature there in the winter season.
Being inspired by the success of Delwar, Ismail Hossain, a flower enthusiast of Gadkhali, the flower hub in Jeshore’s Jhikargachha, brought 5000 Tulip bulbs from the Netherlands and planted them on his five decimal of land on January 6.
“The DAE officials helped me to grow these flowers properly. The import cost of the Tulip bulbs was Tk 3 lakh, which the DAE office bore. I am grateful to them for the help they provided me. I spent only Tk 20,000 as the production cost,” said cultivator Ismail.
Many people from the adjacent areas usually come to visit my Tulip garden, and I sell per piece of Tulips for Tk 120 to them. “I am expecting a good return on Valentine’s Day as the prices of all flowers increases during the auspicious day.”
He said if the growers could find a way to preserve the Tulip bulbs for the next season, a lot of their import cost would have decreased. “I contacted a company in Jashore, and they assured me that they can preserve the Tulip bulbs in appropriate temperature till the next season. If we can preserve the bulbs, it would be profitable for us,” he added.
Also, the chilly weather in Panchagarh, the northernmost district of the country, has become a boon for Tulip cultivators of the area and a good number of farmers are growing Tulips in Sharialjoth in Tentulia of Panchagarh to increase tourism and boost the regional economy.
Local officials say that 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.
Farmers initially planted 40,000 bulbs of six varieties of Tulips on a 40 decimal of land 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.
Md Jahangir Alam, upazila agriculture officer of Tentulia, said the country’s weather is generally not suitable for Tulip cultivation, but Tentulia’s temperature during winter stays at around 20 degrees Celsius in the daytime, showing promise of successful cultivation.
Ayesha Akhter, a successful Tulip cultivator, said that acidic, sandy-loamy soil with a pH between six and seven is ideal for growing Tulips, requiring a daytime temperature of 20 degrees Celsius and night temperature of five to 12 degrees 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 and enough organic manure is needed to prepare the soil to cultivate Tulips. Besides, she added that Panchagarh’s prolonged winter is suitable for Tulip cultivation.
