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Farmers fight salinity, turn village into land of greens

SOHRAB HOSSAIN, Patuakhali
Fighting salinity all around, formers of a remote village in the district are now gettinggood profit by vegetable forming, thanks to the pioneering role of Abul Bashar of Alempur village in Nilganj union under Kalapara upazila.
For safe vegetable farming in the area, farmers usually heighten their low paddy fields by three to four feet to protect it from saline water.
"Over 20 years ago, I started vegetable cultivation on 10 decimals of land, seeing its good prospect. I continued the farming of vegetables that include balsam apple, brinjal, gourd, pumpkin, snake gourd, bitter gourd, bean, basil, bean, tomato, cucurbit on my field. I now grow vegetables on five bighas of land," Bashar, 40, told this correspondent.
"I have dug a pond for using the earth to heighten the field for vegetable farming. My average monthly income from fish and vegetables is Tk 30 thousand.
"I have already bought eight bighas of land with my income from vegetable cultivation," said Bashar, recognising the contribution of his wife Shaheda
Begum behind the success.
Inspired by Bashar, many farmers started vegetable farming in the village.
"I started growing vegetables three years ago only on 30 decimals of land, which now expanded to one acre. My monthly income from vegetables is about Tk 25,000. 1 opted for vegetable farming because it is much more profitable than paddy cultivation," said Abdul Jabbar Gazi of the
same village.
Around 1500 farmers of Alempur village now cultivate vegetables that are supplied to different areas, after meeting local demands.
The main marketplace for the farmers of Alempur village is Kalapara town, but they have to face troubles in transporting the vegetables as they have to use a mud road to Kalapara ferry station for the purpose.
"We have to cross a canal to go to Kalapara town, and it causes problem to carry our produces," said Abdul Jabbar, a farmer.
Farmers said the local lawmaker and the UP chairman repeatedly assured them of constructing a metalled road, but no progress is in sight.
They urged the authorities concerned to improve the transport system in the area.