Sherpur (Bogura) Correspondent

Vast fields of Sherpur Upazila of Bogura are now covered with yellow sheets of mustard. A wonderful sight of yellow mustard flowers are seen across the field.

Various areas of the upazila were visited on Monday , mustard was planted in almost all areas including Shalfa, Shubli, Boalkandi, Chaubaria, Shailapara, Nalbaria, Ghazaria, Talpukuria of Khanpur Union. Farmers have cultivated mustard in several villages of the ten unions including Jhanjhar, Naldingipara, Bilanthar, Ghordaur, Magurar Tair, Khamarkandi, Shubogacha, Husnabad, Boalmari, Pargerbari, Phulbari, Kafura, Ranbirbala of Garidah union. Nature is decorated with yellow.

Bees and butterflies are constantly running from one flower to another. This game of theirs made mustard land more charming. Flocks of insectivorous bulbul birds and jackals added a new dimension. Not only that, the yellow ceremony has attracted nature lovers of all ages, from children to young men and women. Many are busy taking pictures of each other.

Due to the development of new varieties in the last few years, the yield of this crop has also increased. It takes less time to get the yield, the cost is less, because of this, mustard cultivation is increasing day by day in different parts of the upazila.

Talking to Saiful Islam, a mustard farmer of the village in Magurar tair, it is known that the yield of Bari, Tori and Bina varieties of mustard is higher than that of conventional desi mustard. Due to this, farmers are also interested in mustard cultivation. In this way, if mustard cultivation increases, the import of edible oil will decrease.

Moreover, farmers are keen to earn extra income by cultivating mustard in three crops without leaving the land in the middle of Aman and Boro seasons. About 7-8 maunds of mustard are produced in one bigha of land. It costs 1500 to 2000 taka to cultivate mustard on one bigha of land. And sold for about 11 thousand to 12 thousand taka.

To encourage mustard cultivation, the government has distributed 1 kg of mustard seeds, 10 kg of DAP fertilizer and 10 kg of MOP fertilizer to every farmer in this upazila. A total of 3000 farmers have availed this facility. Sherpur sub-assistant agriculture officers are constantly providing all kinds of advice to the farmers for good yield of mustard.

Sherpur Upazila Agriculture Officer Farzana Akhter said that there was an achievement of mustard cultivation in 2022 of 2300 hectares, total mustard cultivation in 2023 is 3660 hectares. Which is more than the target. Mustard is an additional cash crop. So far the weather is favorable. I hope there will be a good yield if there is not much attack of insects.