Carrot is a nutritious vegetable. Day by day, this vegetable is becoming a favorite food of all classes of people. Farmers of Ishwardi in Pabna are turning to carrot cultivation due to less disease, less labour, higher production and better prices. They also benefit from bumper yields. Carrot cultivation is good in upazila high land. Again, the weather is favorable during the carrot growing season. Apart from this, the farmers said that carrots are sold from the land.
The agriculture department official said that the price of local carrot seeds has remained stable, but the price of hybrid carrot seeds has increased a lot. Last year, the price of one kg of hybrid carrot seeds was Tk 17,500 per kg. Now the farmers have to buy it at the rate of 24 thousand taka per kg. And the price of local seeds is 3 to 3.5 thousand taka per kg. According to the office of the Upazila Agriculture Officer, carrots are being cultivated on 900 hectares of land in Iswardi Upazila this year. This season's carrots have already started selling in the market. It is being sold at the price of 30 to 40 taka per kg. It is expected to yield 40 to 50 metric tons this time. Among the seven unions of the upazila, the amount of carrot cultivation is high in Dashuria, Lakshikunda, Sahapur and Salimpur unions. Plantation in the remaining three unions is less.
Two or three local farmers said that carrots are planted twice a year on the same land. While in the carrot field, the vegetable traders came and bought it subject to negotiation. They said that 100 to 120 maunds of carrots are cultivated in one bigha of land. Traders bought this carrot for 1 lakh 20 to 1 lakh 30 thousand taka while it was in the field.
Vegetable trader Shariful Islam said that carrots from Ishwardi are better than other areas. Carrots have to be bought at higher prices due to increase in fertilizer and seed prices. He said, while in the field, carrots are purchased after verification. Carrots of one lakh taka per bigha have to be bought at one lakh 20 to one lakh 40 thousand taka. Shariful Islam said that the carrots bought from Ishwardi will be sold in different areas of the country including Dhaka, Khulna, Barisal, Jashore.
Salim Biswas, a farmer of Laikunda Union of the upazila, said that the demand for nutritious carrots is increasing day by day. People of all classes and professions now keep carrots in their regular food list. He said, this time he planted carrots in 8 bigha land. He has spent 40 to 50 thousand rupees per bigha including seeds, fertilizers, irrigation, labor. In addition, he sold carrots of one bigha land for 1 lakh 30 thousand taka. As such, he sold 8 bigha of carrots for 10 lakh 40 thousand taka. Carrot yields 120 to 130 maunds per bigha. Salim Biswas's profit is 6 lakh 40 thousand taka. He said that there is not much trouble in carrot cultivation as compared to other vegetables, there is no more work after timely irrigation and fertilizing. He has profited by growing carrots for several years. He also said that there is no problem in selling carrots. The vegetable traders saw the land and bought carrots on contract.
National award winning farmer Zahidul Islam said, this time I cultivated carrots on 100 bigha land. The cost of carrot cultivation has increased compared to last year. One kg of hybrid seed of 17,000 taka has to be bought for 24,000 taka. The total cost per bigha is 40 to 50 thousand rupees. However, he sold carrots for 1 lakh 20 to 1.5 lakh per bigha while he was in the land.
Ishwardi Upazila Additional Agriculture Officer Mahmuda Motmainna said that the cultivation of carrots in Ishwardi is increasing every year due to favorable weather, more yield in less time and high price. Farmers here are benefiting from carrot cultivation.
Apart from carrot, other vegetables are also grown in abundance in Ishwardi.