Farmers in eight upazilas out of 13 upazilas of Kishoreganj district are showing interest in sunflower cultivation. Prior to that, a third of the year, their land used to fall. Farmers are going to see the face of light by cultivating sunflower. Sunflower is a lucrative crop like a cash crop. The farmers of this district did not know how to cultivate.
According to the agriculture department, some of the salt tolerant crops are sunflower. However, farmers in the region were not interested in cultivating the sunflower even a year ago. At present, sunflower fields are now visible in outlying villages. Sunflower smiles are now a crop of new possibilities for the peasantry in uncharted land.
According to the Department of Agriculture Extension, Hossainpur, Kishoreganj Sadar, Pakundia, Katiyadi, Tarail, Bajitpur, Kuliarchar, Bhairab upazilas have been set target 8 hector of cultivating sunflower and setting a target of production of 13 metric tonnes. Farmers think the farmers will benefit more from rice by selling oil and seeds available from sunflower.
Ruhul Kuddus, a farmer in Damiha village of Tarail upazila said that, this season two bighas have grown sunflower on the land. Earlier in the year, the crop was cultivated on a large area of land and the production cost was increased by about 14 thousand Tk. So this time one more bigha has cultivated.
Farmer Akram Ali said sunflower yields have been very good. With the irrigation, fertilizers and pesticide spray on the land, the cost of cultivating the crop in two bighas of land so far is Tk 14,000. If there is no natural catastrophe, the sunflower production of the two bighas could benefit from Taka 30,000 to 32,000, he said.
Kishoreganj Agriculture Extension Department Deputy Director (Acting) Dr. Mohit Kumar Dey said, sunflower is far more profitable than paddy and vegetable cultivation. By cultivating these flowers on the surrounding land, including the courtyard of the house, it is possible to overcome the shortage of oil and fuelwood by alleviating the shortage of the family's consumables.