Maize farming progressing in Gaibandha

Maize cultivation has gained much popularity among the char dwellers of the district as it has been playing a significant role in earning and changing the lots of the farmers for the last few years.

According to the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), sources of maize cultivation for the char dwellers of the district were not popular even a few years ago as the growers then incurred huge losses due to a lack of demand and fair prices.

Cultivation of maize on vast tracts of abandoned and sandy char lands Sundarganj, Sadar, Fulchhari and Saghata upazilas brought a revolutionary change in poor farmers’ and unemployed youths’ fate.

Favourable soil, climatic and topographic conditions have also encouraged the farmers to grow large-scale maize cultivation on the char land, said Al- Imran, Sadar upazila agriculture officer of the DAE.

Cultivation of maize has been contributing significantly to poverty reduction and achievement of self-reliance for the last few years as they are getting fair prices against their yield, he also said.

Abdul Gani, a successful farmer of Karaibari char under Kamarjani Union of Sadar upazila said he got 280 maunds of maize through cultivating it on 10 bighas of char land last year.

He earned Tk 2,46,400 through selling the crop in local markets while he spent only Tk 80,000, against crop farming, he also said.

Kamarjani UP chairman and also a successful maize cultivator M Matiar Rahman said the maize cultivation on vast tracts of char land was fully unbelievable to the char dwellers earlier.

Deputy Director of the DAE Md Belal Uddin said a total of 17,200 hectares of land in the district were brought under maize cultivation this year.

The farming might increase during the current season he said, adding that necessary measures had been taken to ensure the supply of fertiliser, pesticide and other agri-inputs to the growers to make the maize farming a success here.