Maize cultivation profits farmers

Bumper output with a good market price of maize has made farmers happy in Rangpur agriculture region during the current Rabi season.

Officials of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) said they had set a target to produce 11,70,696 tonnes of maize from 1,08,065 hectares of land of Rangpur, Gaibandha, Kurigram, Nilphamari and Lalmonirhat in Rangpur agriculture zone while the farmers brought additional 5,535 hectares of land under the farming exceeding the target.

During the last season, farmers produced over 11.48-lakh tonnes of maize bringing 1, 06,217 hectares of land under farming in the region, said Mohammad Abdullah Al Mamun- Deputy Director of DAE, Rangpur region.

Local sources said farming of the crop has been increasing every year in the region as it requires less labour and cost. Growers of both mainland and char areas are showing keen interest in farming as they got bumper production of the crop during the past years and lucrative prices.

The flourishing of poultry, dairy, and animal husbandry and food industry sectors in the country has created a huge demand for maize that encouraged the growers. The farmers have found it as a cash crop reaping more benefits.

The government provided special incentives, high-yielding varieties of maize seeds and fertilizers to landless, small, marginal and flood-hit farmers to further boost the cultivation, he added.

Farmers say they felt interested in maize cultivation after getting a good harvest and the expected profit. There is less risk in growing maize which can be produced twice a year while the other seasonal crops could lead to losses if the harvest fails.

Cultivating maize on one bigha of land costs between Tk 10,000 and Tk 12,000 which produces some 35 to 45 maunds of the grain. Each maund of the crop can be sold for at least Tk 1,000 which brings the farmers’ profit of around Tk 20,000.

Senior Coordinator (Agriculture and Environment) of RDRS Bangladesh Agriculturist Mamunur Rashid said maize farming has huge potential in the region. There are two types of crops. One is Rabi and another is Kharif- 1. The farmers sow the seed of Rabi maize soon after harvesting Aman paddy in November – December and Kharif after harvesting potato in March.

The cultivation has expanded both on the mainland and char areas that become a great help to improve the livelihoods and living standards of small and marginal farmers, and landless people of the region.

The char farmers on the Brahmaputra, Teesta, Dharla, Jamuna, Dudhkumar, Atrai and Ghaghot riverine areas in Rangpur region have brought more land under crop cultivation this season.

Crop farming helped the char people a lot to get rid of poverty and made them economically solvent despite the adverse impact of climate change.

He also said, the demand for the crop has become high as the buyer, poultry feed makers, pay in advance collecting maize directly from the farmers before harvesting.

Mostafizur Rahman, a farmer of Khoragach village in Mithapukur upazila of Rangpur, said maize cultivation requires less investment and effort while the return is bumper and profitable. He went on to add that he gets a benefit of more than Tk 1 lakh every year by growing maize on five bighas of land.

The farmers do not worry about the marketing of maize while there is a concern over marketing for other crops. There is less risk in farming and it can be cultivated twice in the year.

“Maize farming has changed my livelihood,” he noted. Sahidul Islam, an employee of the Bengal Poultry Feed Company in Baura area of Lalmonirhat, said his company usually buys 45,000 tonnes of maize every year. The demand is almost met through local sources while the import scale is too little.

“We buy maize directly from farmers at a reasonable price and make advance payment for collecting the grain,” he added.

Abdul Gani, a farmer in the JogomonerChar area of Dharla River in Kurigram’s Sadar upazila, said he cultivated maize on 10 bighas of land this year spending Tk 120000/. He requires less labour and irrigation for farming.

“He got bumper yield and sold it at Tk 35, 00000. Farming has brought prosperity to my family,” he added.

Helal Miah of Jamirbari village under Kaliganj upazila of Lalmonirhat district said the harvesting began at the end of April. He got 280 maunds yield cultivating the crop on three acres of land.

“I feel very happy as I got a fair profit from the cultivation’ One maund grain is being sold at Tk 1000-1100 from the farmer’s house,” he also said.