Abdul Mannan Tamim, Tajumuddin (Bhola)

Due to short time and low cost, local farmers are inclined to wheat cultivation in the area of Tajumaddin Upazila of Bhola. Farmers are also likely to have bumper yields of cultivated wheat. As a result, they had a smile on their faces and visited several rural areas including Jhilik Upazila. They saw dark green wheat fields swaying across the horizon.

According to upazila agriculture department sources, wheat has been cultivated in Tajumaddin upazila in the current rabi season. This year five of the upazila In the Union this year, the target has been set for 32,33 varieties in 720 hectares of land, 725 hectares have been planted, more productive wheat has been cultivated. Which is 25 hectares more than the target.The statistics of the previous years show that wheat has been cultivated in a record amount of land in the upazila this year. In the market, paddy is being sold at 800 to 1000 taka per maund, but wheat is being sold at 1800 to 2000 taka per maund. Moreover, compared to the amount of fertilizers and pesticides used in rice production, the use of fertilizers and pesticides in corn fields is less. The Department of Agriculture and Agriculture is expecting a bumper crop of wheat this season as there is not much attack by diseases and insects.

Abdur Rahman, a wheat farmer of Shambhupur Union Ward No. 5, said that this year I have cultivated wheat on 48 percent of the land. The production cost of wheat cultivation is much lower than that of rice. That's why I planted wheat this year but the yield is also good. But this year I got government incentive fertilizer and seeds from agriculture office. Along with regular land maintenance, pesticides have been spaced to avoid various diseases including fungi. If there is no natural calamity, he is expecting a good yield of wheat this season.

Around the upazila wheat farmers, Nasir, Mosleuddin, Fazlu, Hossain and many others said that the cost of wheat cultivation is less than that of rice, and one does not have to pay nirani. Moreover, the price of wheat is also high. So we are cultivating wheat. Farmers are expecting a bumper crop as the weather is favourable. Wheat cultivation in Pratibigha land costs four to five thousand rupees. And in Pratibigha land, wheat is available at 14 to 15 maunds. At the same time, they hope to get good yield and price.

Tajumuddin Upazila Agricultural Officer. Md. Ibrahim Asad said, in order to sell the crops produced by modern methods of wheat cultivation at the right price, farmers are working to show new varieties of wheat at the local level, provide training on the use of balanced fertilizers and ensure the supply of quality rich pesticides and hybrid varieties of seeds for pest control. Our field officers are regularly visiting the fields and encouraging crop production through mass awareness among the farmers.