Our Correspondent, Chapainawabganj

Framers and agriculture officials in Chapainawabganj are expecting a bumper yield of mustard in the current season due to favourable weather.

Easy cultivation process and lower production cost compared to other Robi crops is also a reason behind popularity of mustard cultivation among the farmers in the district.

October to mid-November is the suitable time for mustard cultivation and it takes 80 to 85 days to get the yield, said, AKM Monjure Mowla, additional deputy director of Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) in Chapainawabganj.

The farmers in the district have cultivated mustard on 16,720 hectares of land against the DAE’s target of 15,500 hectares of land.

Of the mustard fields, 5,090 hectares are in Sadar upazila, 3,700 hectares in Shibganj upazila, 2,165 hectares in Gomostapur upazila, 755 hectares in Bholahat upazila and 5,010 hectares in Nachole upazila.

Most of the lands are covered with varieties developed by Bangladesh Agriculture Research Institute (BARI), including BARI Sharisha-9, BARI Sharisha-11, BARI Sharisha-13, BARI Sharisha-16 and BARI Sharisha-17.

A few local varieties have also been cultivated, said Mowla.

Depending on soil condition, the cultivation of mustard requires only one or two times irrigation while about Tk 1,800 to Tk 2,000 is needed to cultivate the crop on one bigha.

On an average six maunds of mustard is produced on a bigha of land, the official said.

The DAE authorities are trying to persuade the farmers to cultivate high yielding varieties of mustard invented by BARI between the gaps of Aman and Boro to earn profit.

Farmers in Sadar upazila said they are hopeful to get bumper production of mustard. Harvest will begin in next month.

Yousuf Ali of Kansina village in Sadar upazila said, “I have cultivated eight bighas of land, spending Tk over14,000. I expect to get at least 48 maunds from the land. I will sell each maund for Tk 1,800 to Tk 2,000.”

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Star