Shameem Ahmed, Magura
Yellow sugarcane is gaining popularity among the local farmers of Ghasiara village under Shreepur upazila in Magura. At least 100 farmers turned their fortune wheel cultivating this type of sugarcane, which also locally called as `Holud Gandari'.
Most of the famers in Magura cultivate jute, paddy, vegetables and chilly. However, village Gashiara under Sreepur upazila is an exception as majority of the farmers in the village are dependent on sugarcane cultivation.
During a visit in the village, more than 100 farmers were seen involved in yellow sugarcane cultivation.
According to Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE), Magura, about 80 bighas of land in the village was brought under yellow sugarcane cultivation. The farmers are expecting a profit of taka about ten million this season.
Milon Hossen, a farmer of the village, said he had brought about 2 bighas of land under sugarcane cultivation this year. ‘‘I am expecting Tk 2.5 lakhs from my sugarcane. My production cost is about Tk 50, 000. So my profit will stand at about Tk 2 lakhs,’’ he added.
Monjurul Islam, another farmer of the village, said after completing Graduation in 1988, he started yellow sugarcane cultivation. ‘‘As I found sugarcane cultivation lucrative, I did not run after any other service. Day by day, I am extending sugarcane cultivation. This year I have brought about 5 bighas of land under sugarcane farming,’’ he said.
Another farmer Shafiqul Islam of the village echoed the same as Milon and Monjurul.
He said that about six thousand pieces of yellow sugarcane could be produced in one bigha of land. ‘‘At present we are selling per hundred pieces of sugarcane at Tk 2000 to 2500. So Tk 1.5 lakhs can be earned by selling 6000 pieces of sugarcane at one bigha of land,’’ he said. He added that they do not have any transport cost for the marketing of sugarcane as traders collect sugarcane directly from our field.
When contacted, DAE’s sub assistant engineer Haridash Roy said that yellow sugarcane cultivation is turning fortune wheel of Ghasiara farmers. At present more than one hundred farmers in the village are involved in yellow sugarcane cultivation covering 80 bighas of land. Yellow sugarcane is more delicious compared to our common variety.