Home ›› 21 Dec 2022 ›› Nation
Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) set a target of sunflower cultivation on 24,000 hectares in Barguna district for the current season.
Around 39,100 farmers in the district are being given pulses and oil crops seeds and fertilisers as incentives to boost the production. These crops include maize, mustard, sunflower, boro rice, boro hybrid rice, mung dal and kesari dal.
Barguna district is one of the major districts in terms of sunflower cultivation and production in the country.
Deputy Director of Barguna DAE Abu Syed Md Jobaidul Alam said this year the farmers are inclined towards sunflower cultivation compared to the last. Due to this, compared to last year, there is a slight shortage of sunflower seeds.
“To fill the deficit, the agriculture department has given sunflower seed incentives to the farmers. To reduce the import of oil, the government has planned to increase oil crop cultivation,” he said adding that every year soybean oil worth Tk 28,000 crore is imported.
The official further said that sunflower plants can also be used as fuel, so there are many benefits in expanding its cultivation.
Agriculturist Badrul Alam said sunflower oil contains omega-9, omega-6 and folic acid which are beneficial for the human body. This oil is free of harmful cholesterol with 100 per cent beneficial fats, carbohydrates proteins and water. Apart from this, this oil contains important food ingredients like vitamin E, vitamin K, and minerals that are beneficial for heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and kidney patients.