RAJSHAHI, Feb 2, 2020 (BSS)- Many people have built their fortunes
through flower farming as it’s more profitable than many other cash crops in
the region including its vast Barind tract.
The flower farming has started bringing a new dimension in the process
of crop diversification in the region as various government and non-
government entities concerned are working to this end.
Zafar Iqbal, 48, son of Ishahaque Ali of Proshadpara village under Paba
Upazila, has set a bright instance in terms of flower farming in the region.
Around three years back, he started the flowers farming on only ten
katha of land and that was the turning of his life.
At present, he in full cooperation of his wife Nusrat Jahan has been
cultivating varieties of flowers on more than ten bigha of lands after
getting tremendous success in the farming.
Gladiolus sticks of different colours like white, red, yellow, scarlet,
pink, violet, rosy, lipstick and blue are grown in the same plot, flower
growers said. The flower is harvested within 70 days and grows all the year
round said the farmers.
Zafar said the prices of the flowers and plants were satisfactory. The
flower fields are not only generating employment and helping people overcome
financial hardships but also turning heads and attracting visitors from far
and wide.
Only in Godagari Upazila of the district, more than twenty farmers have
attained unprecedented success in cultivation of flower commercially for the
last couple of years in the region as an alternative crop.
They cultivated gladiolus sticks on around 30 decimals of land in
Kodomshohar, Bijoynagar, Kadipur and Amanatpur areas.
Under its Second Crop Diversification Project, the Department of
Agriculture Extension (DAE) extended requisite training facilities to the
farmers along with tubers to encourage flower farming.
Abdul Kayum, a farmer of Kadipur village said he got rid of poverty by
farming Gladiolus, Rose and Rajanigondha. Narrating his flower farming and
marketing process he said his success largely comes from gladiolus farming.
This year, he cultivated flower on one bigha of land by spending Taka
20,000 and his sale proceeds is expected to be more than Taka 1.5 lakh.
He added that he will cultivate other kinds of flowers side by side
gladiolus on more lands in the coming years. Shafiqul Islam, another flower
grower of Bijoynagar, earned profit of Taka 20,000 from five decimals of
land.
Although it’s a small scale the effort has opened up a new dimension of
crop diversification in the dried area and will obviously inspire more
farmers to cultivate flowers. He said every conventional crop has risks but
flower farming has no risk.
Shafiqul Islam, Upazila Agriculture Officer, said there is a big market
for flowers in Rajshahi, Chapainawabgonj and other neighbouring districts.
He said there is a big market for flowers in the country with an
increase in the demand for local and foreign flowers.
Due to variation in climate, topography and vegetation, the region has a
diversity of ornamental plants which need to be scientifically cultivated to
promote export.
Talking to BSS, he said various species of flowers grow in the region
and measures should be taken to cultivate more so that flower can be turned
into an export-oriented industry.
Shamsul Haque, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture
Extension, said flowers are the most beautiful gifts of nature and people of
all agelove flower so farmers should be encouraged to promote flower farming
in the region.