Good yield, fair price bring cheer to turmeric growers

Bumper production of turmeric and good market price have  brought smiles on faces of  Rajbari farmers this season.

According Rajbari Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE), a total of 1,175 hectares of land have been brought under turmeric cultivation this season, compared to 1,220 hectares last season.

Agriculture officials said growers in the region got good production of turmeric due to favourable weather conditions.

During a recent visit to different villages of Rajbari Sadar, Baliakandi and Kalukhali upazilas, this correspondent saw growers were passing busy time in harvesting turmeric from their lands.

A number of turmeric growers said they are satisfied with good yield and fair price of their produce.

Turmeric is being sold at Tk 1,000 to Tk 1,200 per maund in local markets, which was Tk 700 to Tk 900 last year.

Farmer Firoz Sheikh of Paikkandi village in Baliakandi upazila said, "I have cultivated turmeric on 3.3 acres land, spending Tk 1.5 lakh this year."

He had already harvested 200 maunds of the crop and hopes to get another 350 maunds more, he said.

Another grower Zahangir Sehikh of Narayanpur said, he cultivated turmeric on 90 decimals land this year, and got 150 maunds of turmeric.

"I have sold 100 maunds of turmeric at Tk 1150 per maunds," Zahangir said.

Last year, he cultivated the crop on 1.5 acres land and got 250 maunds.

He cultivated less land this year as he had to sell turmeric at only Tk 800 per maunds last year, he added.

Grower Nitish Biswas of Ratandia village in Kalukhali upazila said turmeric cultivation is more profitable than other corps like chilli, brinjal and pumpkin.

Farmers sow turmeric seeds in November every year and it took nearly a year to harvest the crop, he said.

Mohammad Miraz of Ramdia village said this year he cultivated turmeric on 50 decimals leased land and made a profit of Tk 45,000, which was only Tk 15,000 last year.

Ripon Sheikh of the area said he got 50 maunds of turmeric from only 30 decimals of land this year.

Alongside turmeric, he also cultivated onion and wheat in his other lands, he said.

Kamal Parvez, a turmeric trader at Baliakandi Bazar said, he has been doing the business for 12 years now.

He buys turmeric at Tk 1,000 to Tk 1,200 each maund, and later sells the product at Tk 5,500 to Tk 6,000 per maunds.

Rajbari DAE Deputy Director SM Shahid Nur Akbar said turmeric cultivation saw a slight fall due to increase in jute and onion cultivation this year, but the price and yield of the produce have increased significantly.