Panchagarh chilli farmers happy over bumper yield, fair price

The farmers of Panchagarh district are happy getting bumper production of chillies and their high prices in the local markets.

Due to favourable land conditions and suitable weather, chilli cultivation in five upazilas of the district is gaining popularity among the farmers.

According to the sources of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) in Panchagarh, chillies were cultivated on 4,000 hectares of land this year.

Now, a maund of green chilli is being sold for around Tk 5,000 at the wholesale markets. It was beyond the expectation of the farmers. A farmer can produce at least 25-30 maund chilli from one bigha of land.

Chilies haat (market) is set in Debiganj of the district every day. Traders from different parts of the country come to the hat and purchase chillies from the wholesale markets and supply those to different places including Dhaka.

Mentionable, farmers have started harvesting green chilli from the first week of May and it will continue till July.

Soleman Ali, a chilli farmer in the district, said, “Agriculture has come to us as a blessing. The Department of Agricultural Extension has provided all necessary support to us. So, farmers of the district had been earning good profit from chilli cultivation on a commercial basis for the last couple of years.” Soleman has cultivated chillies on two bighas of land and earned Tk three lakh by selling those.

Meanwhile, farmers of the district are getting fair prices for paddy and maize also.