A bumper bean crop in Bandarban this year has brought joy to the district's bean farmers, who hope the good yield will let them make up for the previous year's losses.

In the Goalia Khola, Kuhalong and Dolupara areas of Bandarban Sadar upazila, white and purple bean flowers stand out against the green, a sight to charm any passer-by. Beans are a highly nutritious vegetable and in great demand.

Every 100 grams of edible bean contains 85 grams of water, 48 kilocalories, 3 grams of protein, 6.7 grams of carbohydrate, 0.7 grams of fat, 0.4 grams of minerals, 210 milligrams of calcium, 1.7 milligrams of iron, 187 micrograms of carotene, vitamins B1, B2 and C, and fibre.

Md Musa Mia, a bean farmer in Goalia Khola in Sadar upazila, said beans have been grown on 1 acre this year in the Goalia Khola and Botoli Para areas of the upazila. Yields are better than in other years, and every 10 days 1,200 to 1,300 kg of beans can now be sold from every 10 decimals of land.

With strong demand, wholesalers are buying at Tk 25 a kg, Tk 10 to 12 a kg more than last year, so there is a chance of making several lakh taka in profit from beans this season.

Bandarban Sadar upazila agriculture officer Md Omar Faruk said beans have been grown on 108 hectares in the upazila, and production of 15 tonnes per hectare is expected. The Department of Agricultural Extension is also giving bean farmers all the help they need, he said.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.