Home ›› 08 Sep 2022 ›› Nation
Cultivating high-yielding summer tomatoes developed by the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI) in the coastal areas of Khulna and Satkhira has brought financial solvency to many farmers.
Among the three saline water durable varieties developed for off-season cultivation in the coastal areas, ‘BARI hybrid tomato-8’ is the most popular among farmers and consumers.
Farmers are happy with the high yield and good price, and it is also meeting the nutritional needs of consumers.
Gopal Sardar of Koira upazila in Khulna spent Tk 40,000 to cultivate tomatoes on 20 decimals of land last year. His total harvest sold for Tk 1.5 lakh.
“I have cultivated BARI hybrid tomato-8 this year too and am expecting a bumper harvest. My wife Tumpa and I work together in the field. We are a happy agriculture-based family,” he said.
He added that the government had provided him with seeds, fertilisers and other agricultural equipment both last year and this year, which he was grateful for.
Md Masud Hossain of Nagarghata village of Satkhira’s Tala upazila spent Tk 2.5 lakh to cultivate BARI hybrid tomato-8 on two bighas of land.
“I sold 30 kg of tomato for Tk 65 per kg. I expect to sell Tk 8 lakh worth of tomatoes if the weather remains favourable like last year,” he said.
Masud added that the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), the Field Research Department of BARI and an NGO called Development Efforts have helped him in his efforts to become a successful farmer.
Mokhlesur Rahman of North Bedkashi village of Khulna’s Koira upazila followed the advice of the upazila agricultural officer and cultivated summer hybrid tomatoes on 15 decimals of land.
“The government provided most of the expenses, including seeds. If the harvest is good, I expect a hefty profit. Some farmers in the area have cultivated summer tomatoes on their own initiative and got a good yield,” he added.
Md Shahbaz Ali, a resident of Maharajpur village in the same upazila, has cultivated BARI tomato-8 on 1.5 bighas of land and got an abundant harvest.
Malay Kumar Ghosh of Rupsa upazila cultivated BARI hybrid tomato-11 with the advice and support of the upazila DAE. So far, he has sold Tk 30,000 worth of tomatoes and expects his total sale this season to be about Tk 1.5 lakh.
Tuku Sheikh of Botbunia village of Dakop upazila said, “I have planted approximately 1,200 saplings and if there are no serious natural calamities, I will get 8-10 kg tomatoes from each tree.”
He also said he could not make a bamboo shed due to a lack of capital, adding that due to a lack of irrigation and not being able to build sheds, several farmers in the area are not expecting a good yield.
According to DAE and BARI offices, summer tomato has been cultivated on 35 hectares in Khulna and 95 hectares in Satkhira.
BARI has developed 11 hybrid varieties of tomatoes among which, hybrid tomato-4, 8 and 11 have received a great response as a summer variety. This year, more hybrid tomato-8 has been cultivated as it is more popular for its taste.
Agriculture sources said this tomato should be cultivated under the shade of bamboo and a white polyethene canopy. Cultivation costs more in the first year due to the need of building the shade.
The average yield of BARI hybrid tomato-4, 8 and 11 varieties is 35-40 tonnes per hectare. It is possible to earn a net profit of Tk 1.5-2.5 lakh per bigha. Cultivation usually begins in May-June. Plants begin to yield from July-August and continue till November-December.
Bipul, a scientific assistant of Dakop’s field research department, said essentially, 30 farmers were given seeds of the BARI hybrid tomato-8 variety to encourage summer tomato cultivation. “Some of the farmers’ crops were destroyed due to a lack of proper irrigation but the others are expected to yield a good harvest.”
Deputy Director of DAE Satkhira agronomist SM Khalid Saifullah said, “Three varieties of summer tomato have been cultivated in the district this year. Farmers in this area are getting good profits and interest in its cultivation has increased.”
Agronomist Md Hafizur Rahman, deputy director of DAE, Khulna said, “Summer hybrid tomato cultivation is gaining traction in the district due to satisfactory yield amid the salinity of the water here.”
Dr Md Harunor Rashid, chief scientific officer of Khulna’s BARI field research department, said that tomatoes were not cultivated in Bangladesh during summer but were imported from India.
“Now there is no need to import tomatoes, thanks to the hybrid varieties. On one hand, our farmers benefit from getting good prices and on the other, we can eat nutritious fresh vegetables free of toxins,” he said.
