Ali Hossain Rubel, Bhola

Most of the Bhola growers are interested in Capsicum cultivation. If the weather is favorable, the farmers are hopeful that this year too they will be profitable by cultivating capsicum.

At present, many farmers are showing interest in capsicum cultivation in Bhola as more profit can be obtained with less cost.

Farmers in isolated grazing areas of Bhola are turning to the lucrative crop capsicum this year. Due to climate change, the farmers claimed to have turned to Capsicum cultivation as it was not profitable to grow different types of vegetables. They said that the capsicum field is not attacked by insects and does not require much effort. Capsicum cultivation at low cost and more profitable.

Farmers of the isolated middle char of Kachia union of Bhola Sadar upazila and Madanpur char of Daulatkhan upazila said that they are cultivating different types of vegetables every year in the isolated char area of Bhola. But due to climate change, untimely rains and tidal water hit the fields. In this most of the time the farmers have to count losses rather than profits. So this time most of the farmers are turning to Capsicum cultivation to recover from the losses.

Md. Monir Hossain, Md. Yusuf and Madanpur Char farmers Md. Akbar and Ismail Hossain said that they used to cultivate various types of vegetables in the Char area. But due to the loss of tidal water, salt water and rain water they would not have benefited much. That's why they cultivated capsicum this year in front of other farmers. Capsicum is not affected by spider mites, so they are happy because of low cost and high yield in the field. So far they have sold capsicum worth Tk 4 to 5 lakh each.

They also said that if there is a loss in vegetable cultivation, it will be impossible to turn around. But Capsicum is easy to recover from damage. That's why farmers in Megh Char and Madanpur Char are leaning towards Capsicum cultivation. Earlier, one to 150 farmers cultivated capsicum in two pastures, but this year 800 to 900 farmers have cultivated it.

Hasan Warisul Kabir, Deputy Director of Bhola Agricultural Extension Department, said that due to the high demand and price of capsicum in the market, the farmers in the grazing areas are tending to cultivate it. Due to which the cultivation of capsicum has increased in those two pastures.

Capsicum has been cultivated in about 100 acres of land in the district this year. Besides, this year the farmers have succeeded in cultivating capsicum, so the amount of plantation will increase by 3 to 4 times in the future, he said.