Farming in char areas proves successful

Jalil Joardar expects bumper production of wheat this year at Kumar river basin under Shailokupa upazila in Jhenidah. PHOTO: STAR

The farmers in seven unions of Jhenidah district are going to harvest optimum yield of the crops in the current season. Favourable production and huge demand were mainly the reasons for the expansion of the cereal crop. Further, better prices had encouraged the farmers to expand farming in the region. The cultivation cost is less than the other crops this time around. The attack of pest is also low, and plants have not been attacked by diseases in the char areas, said the officials of the Department of Agriculture Extension and the farmers.
Thousands of farmers under Shailkupa upazila in Jhenidah are harvesting crops at char areas of Kali and Kumar rivers of the upazila. Agriculture office sources said, since the liberation war these two rivers are not navigable. There remains little water at the bottom of the rivers. Paddy, wheat, garlic, onion, and other crops are being cultivated at around in 4,000 hectares of the two rivers this year. More than 25/30 thousand farmers of seven unions are cultivating and harvesting bumper productions at the char areas. They spend little as this vast tract of land is fertile. Being motivated by the field level agriculture officers, they sincerely cultivate boro, wheat, potato and other vegetables. They get good crops at little cost because this river basin is very fertile. According to farmers, only insecticide is used here, and no fertilizers are needed.
Abdul Jalil Joardar of Baroipara village under Shailkupa upazila said that they caught a lot of fishes before liberation, but recent times are different. At the time they would be passing days without minimum amounts of food. But not anymore, now they do not remain unfed and do not starve. They use this char areas and produce huge quantities of crops. They have no want of food now. They also get a lot of crops and vegetables.
Motiar Rahman of the village said that he is a landless poor man. He has been allotted one bigha land on the kumar river basin. He produces paddy and vegetables. Now he is leading a happy life. Rafikul Islam, another farmer said, he has got two mounds of mustered from ten decimals of land. About 4,000 hectares are being used for cultivation on the sandy char area, covering seven river basin unions, said the agriculture officer Bijoy Krishna Haldar of Shailokupa upazila. Nearly 70 percent of boro paddies are being cultivated on the char areas. The farmers are extremely happy and are able to improve their living conditions, thanks to free allotment of land from the government, added the AG officer.