Low production cost, high yield : Farmers growing more interest in maize cultivation in Sreenagar
Khan Suzon, Sreenagar (Munshiganj)
Farmers in Sreenagar are increasingly turning to maize cultivation due to its low production cost, high yield, and good performance even on fallow land.
In the areas of Atpara, Birtara, and Tantar, maize cobs are now emerging in the fields, and in some early-sown plots, the crops are already ripening. Farmers are expected to begin harvesting within a few days.
The demand for grain maize is rising because of its diverse uses in preparing feed for cattle, poultry, and other livestock. Currently, the market price for early grain maize is between Tk 1,050 and Tk 1,100 per maund.
Amir Hossain, a maize farmer from Birtara, said that he cultivated maize during both the Rabi and Kharif seasons this year based on the advice of the agriculture office. He reported a good yield and a favorable market price from the early harvest. If there are no natural disasters, he expects profitable returns from the remaining crops as well.
In addition, silage is being produced from green maize plants as an alternative to grass fodder. Each 50-kg bag of silage is sold for Tk 650–700. To support silage production, hundreds of bighas of land on the Padma riverbanks in the Bhagyakul area are being used for maize cultivation.
A field visit revealed widespread maize farming in Birtara and Atpara. Maize cobs are already visible in many fields, and harvesting is expected to begin next month. In some areas, farmers are growing maize after harvesting potatoes.
Meanwhile, large-scale maize cultivation is also taking place on the Padma riverbanks in Bhagyakul and Baghra unions. Maize plants will be harvested within 75 days of sowing, even before the cobs fully form. These fresh plants will then be chopped using machines, processed into silage, and packaged for sale.
Upazila Agriculture Officer Mohsina Jahan Toron stated that farmers’ interest in maize cultivation is steadily increasing. A target has been set to cultivate maize on 110 hectares of land during the combined Rabi and Kharif seasons in the upazila, with a projected production target of 1,147 metric tons.
