By Engr Mamun Islam
RANGPUR, Feb 17, 2021 (BSS) – On account of lucrative markets prices and
getting special assistance from the government, enthusiastic farmers have
exceeded the fixed sunflower farming target by 5.31 times in Rangpur
agriculture region.
Officials of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) said a
target of farming sunflower on 265 hectares of land has been fixed to produce
555 tonnes of the oil seeds for all five districts in the region during the
current Rabi season.
“However, farmers have cultivated the crop on 1,407 hectares of land
exceeding the fixed farming target by 5.31 times or 431 percent this season
in the region,” Deputy Director of the DAE at its regional office
Agriculturist Md. Moniruzzaman told BSS today.
Earlier, farmers cultivated sunflower on 75 hectares of land and
produced 150 tonnes of the oil seeds in the region last season when they sold
their produce at Taka 70 per kg.
Getting special agriculture incentive and assistance under the post-
flood agriculture rehabilitation programmes, farmers have enhanced sunflower
cultivation across the region, including char areas, this season.
The government has provided special incentive and post-flood agriculture
rehabilitation assistance to 14,300 farmers of Rangpur, Gaibandha, Kurigram,
Lalmonirhat and Nilphamari districts in the region to inspire them in
sunflower cultivation.
“Of them, 3,000 farmers received 1.50 kg of seeds with 10 kg of Di-
ammonium Phosphate (DAP) and Muriate of Potash (MoP) fertilisers each as
special incentive for cultivation of sunflower on one bigha of land each,”
Moniruzzaman said.
Besides, 11,300 farmers got 1.50 kg of seeds for farming sunflower on
one bigha of land each under the post-flood agriculture rehabilitation
programme in the region to enhance production of the oil seeds this season.
“This time, farmers have cultivated sunflower on 377 hectares of land in
Rangpur, on 490 hectares in Gaibandha and on 195 hectares in Kurigram, on 80
hectares in Lalmonirhat and 265 hectares of land in Nilphamari districts in
the region,” Moniruzzaman added.
Talking to BSS, farmer Dilip Kumar village of Dakshin Hajipur in
Taraganj upazila of Rangpur said he has cultivated sunflower on one bigha of
land in a block of two acres of land for the first time after being inspired
by the DAE officials.
“I got 1.50 kg of sunflower seeds and 10 kg of DAP and 10 kg of MOP
fertilisers, like other farmers in our block, as special incentives for
cultivation of sunflower on one bigha of land,” said.
Like Dilip, farmers Majibar Rahman, Feroz Ahmed and Ali Ahmad of the
village have cultivated sunflower for the first time on one bigha of land
each after getting 1.50 kg of seeds, 10 kg of DAP and 10 kg of MOP
fertilisers each in the block.
Farmer Rawshan Ali and his son Rafikul Islam of the same village have
cultivated sunflower on one bigha of land each for the first time after
getting 1.50 kg of seeds under the post-flood agriculture rehabilitation
programme.
Taraganj Upazila Agriculture Officer Agriculturist Urmi Tabassum said
sunflower plants now in bloom are growing superbly amid excellent climatic
conditions creating a real hope for farmers in getting bumper production of
the oil seeds in the upazila.
Additional Deputy Director (Leave Reserved) of the DAE at Khamarbari in
Dhaka Agriculturist Md. Abu Sayem told BSS that there is a brighter prospect
of expanding sunflower farming in a changing climate to attain self-reliance
on edible oil.
“Sunflower is widely cultivated in different countries of the world.
Sunflower seeds contain 48 to 52 percent oil stay. Its oil contains 40-45
percent Linoleic acid and is very good for heart patients and does not
contain harmful Erucic acid,” he said.