SUSHANTA GHOSH and SOHRAB HOSSAIN

With frequent volatility in edible oil prices in the local market, farmers across the southern region are increasingly turning to oilseed cultivation -- both to meet household needs and as a commercial venture.

In the last three years to 2024, oilseed cultivation in Barishal increased by 44.7 percent, while their yield rose by up to 54 percent, according to data from the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE).

Oilseed acreage rose to 80,174 hectares last year, up from around 61,636 hectares in the fiscal year (FY) 2022.

During this period, mustard cultivation increased by 56.89 percent to 17,055 hectares, according to data from the DAE’s field monitoring wing in the Barishal region.

Similarly, the cultivation of groundnuts rose by 4.45 percent and sunflower by 112 percent.

In the Barishal division alone, soybean cultivation experienced a 60 percent hike in only three years, reaching around 67,956 tonnes on 43,072 hectares in 2023–24.

Meanwhile, mustard was grown on 17,055 hectares of land, groundnuts on 19,137 hectares, sesame on 982 hectares, and sunflower on 8,724 hectares in the division.

In Barguna, sunflower cultivation has seen the highest rise among all oilseeds.

Farming of sunflowers grew by 224 hectares over the past three years, reaching 3,600 hectares this year, said Badarul Amin, additional agriculture extension officer of the district.

“Sunflowers grow well in saline-prone soil at relatively low cost, which contributed to the expansion,” he said.

Meanwhile, in the coastal district of Patuakhali, oilseed cultivation has grown by 42 percent since the fiscal year 2020–21.

According to the DAE Patuakhali, over 2,000 farmers cultivated oilseeds on 11,132 hectares of land in the 2024–25 growing season, up from only 7,811 hectares in the 2020–21 season.

Md Rabi Faisal, a sub-assistant agriculture officer in Dashmina upazila, said sunflower yields at least 2 tonnes per hectare and produces up to 400 grammes of oil per kilogramme.

“With proper technology and guidance, oilseed farming can significantly boost the regional economy,” he said.

Rabeya Begum, a sunflower farmer from Kalapara upazila, said, “My land was fallow for a decade, and it was only used during the monsoon for paddy. In the dry season, it remained unused due to salinity.”

“This year, I grew sunflowers on 66 decimals of land. The crop has done very well. I expect to earn Tk 30,000– Tk 35,000 after meeting my family’s needs.”

Hashem Munshi, another farmer from Galachipa, added, “Due to rising edible oil prices, our household expenses have gone up. So we’re now cultivating more sunflowers not just for our own use, but also for profit.”

Mehedi Hasan, a farmer from Bauphal, said he cultivates both mustard and sunflower to meet household needs and for sale.

“I extract and sell around 450 litres of sunflower oil at Tk 350 per litre and 200 litres of mustard oil at Tk 230 per litre annually,” he said.

Md Aminul Islam, Patuakhali’s agriculture marketing officer, said, “We connect farmers with edible oil companies to help them sell their produce easily, encouraging them to grow more oilseeds.”

Gokul Chandra, human resources officer at Barishal-based Amria Company, a sesame oil marketing firm, said, “We previously relied on traditional oil extraction using seeds bought from the market. Now, we are installing automated machines for oil production.”

Md Nazrul Islam, deputy director of the DAE Patuakhali, said sunflower cultivation alone has created the potential to produce sunflower oil worth Tk 400 crore.

“We’ve also distributed oil-extracting machines to farmers free of cost,” he added.

Md Nazrul Islam Sikder, additional director of the DAE Barishal region, said the government has taken steps to reduce edible oil imports by 40 percent.

“As part of that initiative, oilseed cultivation has grown significantly across the country — especially in the southern region, where it has increased significantly over the last three years.”