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Maize gives work to jobless women

Hasibur Rahman Bilu, Bogra
Maize cultivation is providing a profitable alternative to traditional crops such as wheat and paddy especially in Sherpur upazila of Bogra district, creating high hopes for women's employment.
A substantial number of underprivileged women in the district are earning around Tk 70 a day orTk 1,500 per month through maize cultivation, when previously theyhad been jobless.
Due to high price and low production cost of maize compared to those of other crops like wheat and paddy, framers in Bogra have been opting for maize cultivation for the last few years.
Bangabandhu National ’Award' winner maize farmer Maqbul Hossain of Sherpur upazila said at least two thousand women are in several maize cultivation works including seed processing in Sherpur and Dhanut upazila.
“More than 100 women are involved in maize cultivation in my village Shokly in Sherpur,” said Maqbul.
Azharui Islam, manager of Maize Research and Development of Brae Sherpur unit, said at least 200 women were engaged in maize harvesting and seed processing during the last season in Brae seed processing plant in Sherpur.
They were paid Tk 70 per day including overtime, Azharui Islam said adding that many women day labourers like Anowra Begum of Fulbarri village and Momota Begum and Julekha of Dublagari village now earn Tk 1,500 a month.
Sources in Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) in Bogra said maize cultivation is increasing day by day in Bogra district, especially in Sherpur and Dhanut upazila areas.
Deputy Director of DAE, Bogra, Mohammed Abul Basher said maize cultivation witnessed a remarkable rise during the last twelve years in several areas of the district. Now it is spreading in Shibganj upazila
in the district, although the upazila is popular as a potato growing area, he added.
Maize farmer Maqbul Hossain said maize production was around 9 tonnes per hectare in Sherpur upazila last year, while according to DAE sources the production in Bogra district was 7 tonnes per hectare in last Rabi season.
On the other hand, production of wheat in Bogra district was 1.76 tonnes per hectare last year, DAE sources said.
Officials of the department said cultivation cost of wheat is around Tk 20,000 per hectare including land rent, which is just half of maize production cost. Still the farmers arc not interested in wheat cultivation, as they get much better price for maize compared to wheat. They can also sell maize on the spot, while there are problems in selling wheat directly.
The farmers of Sherpur and Dhanut upazila started maize cultivation instead of wheat and other crops being encouraged by an initiative of Brae local office a few years back.