Sagar Chowdhury, Chandpur

Chandpur is one of the main riverine agricultural regions of the country. As the Meghna, Padma, Meghna Dhanagoda and Dakatiya rivers flow through the district, agricultural crops such as Rabi, Aus, Aman and Boro produce extensive summer vegetables in the river basin.

In Chandpur, this year's winter vegetable plantation is 5 thousand 450 hectares and the production target is 1 lakh 800 metric tons. Every upazila of the district produces more or less summer vegetables.

This information has been revealed in the annual report of the Directorate of Agriculture Extension Farm Bari Chandpur on planting and production targets of rabi crops for the current season of 2023-24.

According to the information received, in Chandpur Sadar this year 2023-2024 the cultivation of vegetables is 930 hectares and the production target is 17 thousand 250 MT. Cultivation in Matlab North is 1 thousand 250 hectares and the production target is 23 thousand 150 million tons, Cultivation in Matlab South is 270 hectares and the production target is 4 thousand 950 million tons, Cultivation in Hajiganj is 685 hectares and the production target is 12 thousand 772 million tons. Cultivation in Shahrasti is 380 hectares and production target is 7 thousand 30 million tons, Cultivation in Kachua is 480 hectares and production target is 8 thousand 800 million tons, Faridganj cultivation is 830 hectares and production target is 15 thousand 3 million. 55 million tons and cultivation in Haimchar is 625 hectares and production target is 1 thousand 156 million tons.

Especially in the 11 isolated char areas of Chandpur, these vegetables are widely cultivated by the char dwellers. Women play a major role in the production of these vegetables. Along with men, women have been playing a leading role in rearing livestock such as cows, goats, ducks, chickens, etc. in the Meghna basin and grazing areas.

They are busy in producing these vegetables by working day and night. They have been cultivating vegetables commercially in some areas. Their main means of livelihood is agriculture, vegetable cultivation and rearing of livestock such as ducks, chickens etc. In Chandpur, after rice, jute, potato, soybean, onion, garlic, mustard, pepper, the place of vegetables is. It is now quite profitable.

Vegetables produced in Chandpur are sent to ports in different cities of the country by sea. Favorable weather environment, transportation facilities, interest of farmers in vegetable cultivation, production technology provided by agriculture department, improved communication system, easy availability of agricultural equipment, advice of agriculturists on the use of seeds, fertilizers and pesticides, agricultural loans from banks, etc. Cultivating Especially in the grasslands of Chandpur, the farmers produce a lot of vegetables.

The sad thing is that the banks are not giving agricultural loans to the farmers of Char area because of the banks of the river. Farmers would be more enthusiastic in vegetable cultivation if they get loan assistance. The grazing areas are Charilyot in Matlab, Char Qasim, Sabzi Kandi, Sixth Khand Borochar, Rajrajeswar in Chandpur Sadar, Jahazmara, Lagnimara, Banshgari, Chircharchar, Fatejungpur, Ishanbala in Haimchar, Chargazipur, Manipur, Madhyachar, Mazhirbazar, Saheb Bazar and Baburchar in Charbhairbir etc.

Summer vegetables include chichinga, bitter gourd, gourd, barbati, potter, kakarl, dhundul, data, shrimp, brinjal etc. In Chandpur's Kumradugi, Mahamaya, Devpur, Master Bazar, Sundardia areas, farmers cultivate these vegetables on a large scale and commercially.

An agriculturist from Chandpur said, 'The vegetables produced in the pastures are very fresh and fresh. There is no need to add formalin to these vegetables. Because they sit and sell the day's harvest in the market on the same day.

Meanwhile, due to the effect of Sitrang, the farmers said that they had prepared different varieties of vegetables on high land in advance in all the upazilas of the district, but all those lands were destroyed due to heavy rains. However, they entered the field again with full enthusiasm.