The farmers are showing interest to harvest cassava with the assistance of PRAN. At this moment, about2000 farmers are now harvesting cassava under the PRAN’s contract farming. PRAN is now collecting the cassava from the contractual farmers for this season and aims to collect 30000 tons of cassava.
Cassava is a root crop which is planted in fallow lands and hilly areas with a little cost and labor. In Bangladesh, the crop is popularly known as `ShimulAlu’.
MahatabUddin, Chief Operating Officer at PRAN Agro Business, said, “PRAN introduced contract farming of cassava in 2014. The conglomerate has been encouraging the farmers to grow the new crop under its contract farming. Through the cassava project, the hilly andfallow lands are being used and the famers are also being benefitted economically. PRAN is encouraging the farmers by conducting training programs, giving financial assistance and providing instruments and seeds at a low cost.”
He also said, “Both cultivation and collection have been occurredat a time. Farmers started collecting crops in November last year and will be completed inMay this year.After collecting the crops, theyplant the seeds. Till December last year, we have collected 5000 tons of cassava. Farmers are now showing interest to cultivate cassava because they are beingbenefitted economically and getting more crops.”
The Chief Operating Officer also said, “PRAN’s contractual farmers have harvested cassava around 5500 acres of landthis season and our aim is to collect 30000 tons of cassava from the land. Previous year, we got 4 tons of cassava in an average from one acre of land. But this year, our expectation is 6 tons of crop. Farmers of Rangamati, Khagrachhari, Sylhet, Habiganj, Moulvibazar, Tangail, Mymensingh, Jamalpur and Cumilla districts havecultivated the cassava. PRAN has collected the crops from the farmers at Tk 7500 for one ton this year.”
Kamruzzaman Kamal, Marketing Director at PRAN-RFL Group, said,“PRAN has a cassava processing plant in Habiganj Industrial Park under its sister concern Sylvan agriculture Limited where sixty thousand tons of cassava can be processed in a year. PRAN is manufacturing starch from Cassava andthe starch is now being widely used in garment, pharmaceuticals and processed food industries. Besides, it can be used as a boiled food and animal foods. So, peoplecan cultivate cassava in fallow lands around their house and it will to help our economy.”
He also said, “Government has taken a project to increase the cultivation of cassava in fallow lands and hilly areas. The initiative is playing good role to extend the cultivation of the crops. Now more publicity is needed to encourage farmers for yielding the corps.”
