Sugarcane cultivation has been increased at Tangail due to low cost and high profit-margin. Sugarcane yield has been figured very well this season due to favorable weather conditions. Itinerant vendors are buying sugarcane from the farmers in the field and selling it in the market at a good price. Due to its demand, farmers get good prices. As a result, sugarcane has put a smile on the face of the farmers. Farmers say that if they get government support, the plantation can be increased by cultivating sugarcane in the fallow land at a higher rate.
It is known that, like other crops, the cost of production is relatively low and it is sold at a high price. Due to the favorable weather this year, there is less disease in sugarcane fields in this district. As a result the yield has improved. Farmers are able to sell sugarcane at a good price in the field due to the huge demand.
Sugarcane yield is available in 7 to 8 months. It takes two seasons of rice to produce one season of sugarcane—yet farmers benefit from sugarcane cultivation as a companion crop. Each cane of height 8-12 feet is being sold at a retail rate of Tk 10-30. Apart from meeting the demand of the local market, the sugarcane here is also being supplied to other districts including Dhaka.
According to the sources of the District Agriculture Extension Directorate, the target of 23 thousand 600 metric tons of sugarcane production in 500 hectares of land is set for the current season. But sugarcane has been cultivated in 388 hectares of land. In TangailSadarUpazila, the target of sugarcane cultivation has been set at 250 hectares, but 160 hectares have been cultivated. A production target of 11 thousand 800 metric tons has been set. Last season, 20 thousands 256 metric tons of sugarcane was produced in 422 hectares of land in the district.
Farmer Amjad Hossain of Chilimpur village of Tangail Sadar Upazila said, about 80 thousand taka were spent to cultivate sugarcane on 55 percent of my land. So far I have sold sugarcane worth about one and a half lakh taka.
Besides sugarcane, tomato, potato and garlic have been cultivated as companion crops.
Farmer Abdul Quader Mia said, I used to cultivate Aman rice. It would cost me something more. I have started sugarcane cultivation without planting Aman paddy for three years. My profit is increasing. This year, I cultivated sugarcane on 14 decimals of the land and made a profit of more than tk.15,000 excluding expenses. But last year, I was affected by the flooding of the sugarcane field.
Zahid Mia, a sugarcane farmer of Rasulpur village at Ghatail upazila, said, I have cultivated sugarcane on 22 percent of the land. I have spent about 10 thousand taka. I sold the sugarcane of my field for 35 thousand taka about a month ago fearing that it will be drowned in flood water. If I sell it now, I could sell it close to lakhs of taka. Everyone in our village has done well in sugarcane cultivation. We got a good price. We are very happy with it.
Deputy Director of Tangail District Agricultural Extension Directorate. Ahsanul Basar said, besides the local varieties, some new improved varieties of sugarcane including BSRI-41 and 42 are being cultivated at Tangail.
Many of the farmers who were affected by the floods last year did not cultivate sugarcane this year. This year the sugarcane yield in the district has been very good due to favorable weather conditions. Many people are interested in sugarcane cultivation as the price is good in the market.
He also said that many times the farmers suffer due to the attack of diseases and insects in sugarcane. We have directed the Sub-Assistant Agricultural Officers to stand by the sugarcane growers to provide them with whatever advice they need to prevent such disease.