In Rangpur district there is immense potential for oilseed crop sunflower cultivation in fallow land. The agriculture department is talking about the immense potential of sunflower cultivation in Rangpur. Along with men, women are also getting interested in sunflower cultivation. The beautiful sight of sunflowers with additional income with little labor and cost has caught everyone`s attention. Many visitors come to see the beauty of these sunflower fields.
The soil and climate of this district is very suitable for sunflower cultivation. So the farmers are encouraged to cultivate sunflowers and thus oil seed sunflowers have been planted in different areas of the district. Sunflower cultivation has increased rapidly over the past few years. Last year, 140 hectares of land was brought under sunflower cultivation through incentives. This year, 150 women among 500 farmers in Pirganj, Taraganj, Mithapukur upazila of the district were also given agricultural incentives for sunflower cultivation. As a result, the farmers became economically self-sufficient.
This year the target was 180 hectares in Rangpur district but due to shortage of seeds, the farmers cultivated sunflower on 67 hectares with the help of agriculture department. 125 demonstrations have also been given to farmers under the oil crop scheme of the Department of Agricultural Extension for the financial year 2021-2022. Farmers feel that sunflower cultivation is decreasing due to lack of sufficient seed supply from the agriculture department, despite getting more profit from this 3-month crop.
7 to 8 per bigha of land is spent on 9 to 10 maunds, which is sold and the income is about 30 thousand taka.
On the surface, it has been seen that the area in different upazilas of the district has been visited, Minara Begum, a woman farmer of Gangarampur village of Pirganj upazila, has cultivated sunflower oilseed crop on fallow land of 50th century on her own initiative and on the advice of agriculture department. Due to its good yield, many women have expressed interest in sunflower cultivation as an oilseed crop. Also, many people have cultivated sunflowers as hobby flowers in their home yards and in front of their offices.
Among the edible oils, sunflower oil is very beneficial for the human body. To make sunflower cultivation popular among farmers, 67 hectares of land have been cultivated. These lands have yielded a bumper crop of sunflowers. Seeing the yield, other farmers are turning to oilseed crop sunflower in their fallow lands. Along with this, at least 6 to 8 hectares of fallow land including courtyards of various houses in the district have been cultivated for oilseed crops. . Currently, farmers are learning the method of cultivating this crop.
Farmer Sekender Ali of Devipur village in Haridebpur union of Rangpur Sadar upazila has cultivated Patan-based Hysan 33 varieties of sunflowers on 50th century land. He has spent about Tk 10,000 but the agriculture office has given him 2 kg of seeds and some fertilizer as an incentive. He is hopeful that the yield is good. Suryamukhi – Aush-Ropa-Aman Patan 50 percent land can earn about 50 thousand taka. He said that he will be more profitable if he can market locally.
Rangpur Agriculture Extension Directorate Deputy Director Mahabubar Rahman (Cereals) said that to plant this crop, seeds are sown in rows in the first half of November. The crop can be harvested within 90 days to 100 days after sowing. Sunflower cultivation is possible without a small amount of chemical fertilizers and irrigation. Sunflower plants can be used as fuel. In this oilseed plantation, the profit is several times compared to the cost. Farmers are paid cash by taking the produce and selling it at fair price.
JH
