Fresh from the chars

About 60 percent of the vegetables brought to markets on the banks of the Padma in the district are produced in the chars, the lands emerging from the riverbeds.

About five to six years ago, almost 100 percent of the vegetables used to come to these markets in Louhajang, Sreenagar and Tongibari upazilas from Dhaka. Now the vegetables in these markets are fresh from nearby chars.

Local consumers like the vegetables and the farmers are also being benefitted by selling their produce at higher prices.

The growers of other areas sell their vegetables to middlemen or wholesalers at much lower prices. On the other hand, farmers in the three upazilas sell their produce directly at the local haats and bazars.

Many vegetables produced in the chars emerging from the Padma, like gourd, eggplant, tomato, carrot, green chilli, spinach, celery, cauliflower, cabbage, pumpkin and other varieties are available in Munshiganj markets at low prices.

On a visit to the markets, this correspondent found that the consumers prefer to buy vegetables produced locally.

Farhad of Maliraunko village in Louhajang told this correspondent that the vegetables produced in the chars are cheaper and free from insecticides.

Many seedbeds were destroyed due to heavy rain this year, which frustrated the farmers, but the bumper production of vegetables has brought smiles to their faces.