Sugarcane farmers are seeing success in commercial sugarcane cultivation in Saturia upazila of Manikganj. The farmers are smiling because of the profit in sugarcane cultivation. This sugarcane is being sold from the field. Farmers are also getting good prices. Sugarcane cultivation is increasing day by day in the upazila as it is more profitable to cultivate other crops along with small capital.
According to Saturia Upazila Agriculture Office, sugarcane has been planted in 27 hectares of land in the upazila this year. Although sugarcane is cultivated in 9 unions of the upazila, the maximum cultivation is in Saturia Sadar Union. Among the varieties of sugarcane, Bombay, Gendari, mixed grain, China Bombay, red grain sugarcane are cultivated more.
In Paragram and Radhanagar village of Saturia Upazila Sadar, farmers are busy cutting sugarcane from the land. Sugarcane harvested from here is sold in the local market and retailed in nearby markets including Nagarpur upazila Pakutia, Kedarpur market. But most of the farmers sell wholesale from the field. Wholesalers from different places including Dhaka, Savar, Ashulia Mirpur Tangail Manikganj come to buy sugarcane in the field. Sugarcane is sold wholesale at Tk 20-35 per piece. However, they sell each piece at Tk 30-50 in the retail market.
Farmer Yusuf Ali said that he cultivated sugarcane on 75 percent of the land. He has grown Bombay, Gendari, Mixed grain, China Bombay, Red grain sugarcane in his land. When the sugarcane seedlings were small, he cultivated them with sugarcane and radish in between them. Along with sugarcane, they are selling mashuri dal of Tk 50,000 and radish of Tk 25,000 after cultivating only 15 percent of the land.
Jahanara Begum, a sugarcane farmer, said that she has been cultivating sugarcane with her son for several years. Having no land of her own, she has cultivated sugarcane on 45 percent of the land with her husband and son. This time the amount of profit is more than other times. She sold sugarcane from the field at Tk 25-30 per piece and making new sugarcane seedlings. Once the sugarcane is harvested, re-plant again.
Sugarcane farmer Abul Hossain said that he cultivated sugarcane on 22 percent of the land. The yield is good; the cost is Tk 30 thousand. So far Tk 1 lakh of sugarcane has been sold. She could have sold more sugarcane.
Sugarcane farmers said that the cost is less compared to other crops but the profit is high, so the farmers are turning to sugarcane cultivation day by day. However, the farmers believe that sugarcane cultivation will be better if they get the necessary advice and support from the Upazila Agriculture Office.
Upazila Agriculture Officer Abdullah Al Mamun said that sugarcane has been cultivated on 27 hectares of land in the upazila this year. Necessary advice is being given by the Agriculture Office. Sugarcane yield has also been good this year due to favorable weather conditions. At present, more sugarcane is sold from the field. Wholesale traders from different places buy sugarcane from the fields and sell it to different district upazilas. However, some farmers are selling in local haat markets hoping to get better prices. These sugarcanes are going to neighboring districts including Dhaka to satisfy the local demand.
ZH
