In an innovative agricultural breakthrough, a farmer in Mirzaganj has successfully pioneered the commercial cultivation of ginger in sacks, demonstrating a high-yield, space-efficient method that is capturing the attention of the local farming community and officials alike.
The successful harvest comes from the efforts of Ruhul Amin Kazi, a 65-year-old farmer from Mirzaganj village, who has utilized fallow land on his homestead to cultivate ginger in 2,800 sacks, a first for the upazila.
The venture began not in a field, but on a smartphone. Kazi's son, Nizam Kazi, a private sector employee, came across a video on YouTube detailing the process of sack ginger cultivation and shared the idea with his father. Intrigued by the potential, the elder Kazi then sought out the expertise of the Mirzaganj Upazila Agriculture Office.
With their comprehensive guidance and material support, he transformed 40 decimals of previously unused land beneath his betel nut trees into a thriving ginger farm. A segment of this project, covering 1.5 decimals, has been officially established as a demonstration plot under the Department of Agricultural Extension's "Project for Utilizing Uncultivated Fallow Land and Establishing Homestead Nutrition Gardens (1st Revised)."
The Agriculture Office provided initial support in the form of 15 kg of ginger seed, 250 sacks, fertilizer, and pesticides. Scaling up the operation, Kazi invested a total of Tk 300,000 to prepare the sacks, plant the seeds, and manage the crop.
This investment appears to be yielding a promising return. Kazi estimates a harvest of 1 to 2 kilograms of ginger from each sack. With a total of 2,800 sacks, he is anticipating a yield significantly higher than traditional methods would allow on a similar plot of land. Given the strong demand and favourable prices for ginger in local markets, Kazi is optimistic about achieving substantial profit in his inaugural year.
"I had never cultivated ginger in sacks before. I was inspired after seeing a video and, with the Agriculture Office's advice, I mixed soil, sand, sawdust, and organic fertilizers in the sacks," Ruhul Amin Kazi explained during a field visit. "I planted the ginger in Boishakh, the plants have grown healthily without any disease, and the yield looks excellent. I plan to harvest in Falgun and, Insha'Allah, I will be profitable."
Upazila Agriculture Officer Abdullah Al Mamun hailed the project as a milestone. "This is the first commercial sack cultivation of ginger in our upazila. We have provided Ruhul Amin Kazi with all necessary support and are hopeful that his success will encourage other farmers," Mamun stated.
He further elaborated on the strategic advantages of the method, noting, "Cultivating in sacks simplifies critical aspects like water control and pest management while saving space. This technique makes it possible to cultivate ginger anywhere, helping to meet local demand and potentially reducing the nation's reliance on imported ginger."
The success of this pilot project is being closely watched by local farmers, many of whom have expressed keen interest in adopting the method. Agricultural officials believe that sack cultivation could be a game-changer for smallholder farmers and those with limited access to arable land, promoting agricultural diversification and enhancing household income across the region.
