Sunflower is a promising oil crop for Bangladesh, and demand for sunflower oil is rising because it is good for health. Three varieties developed by the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI) have created new interest among farmers. The Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture (BINA) in Mymensingh is also working on sunflower, with three varieties in advanced lines that scientists hope to release within three years.

Dr Reza Mohammad Imon, BINA senior scientific officer and deputy coordinator of the oil crops production project (BINA component), said BINA has not yet released a sunflower variety but has very good advanced lines: high-yielding, higher in oil, medium height and resistant to lodging, as farmers want. The heads will droop slightly lower, he said, and he believes BINA's lines are better than BARI's and will spark a revolution among farmers. It will take about three more years.

According to BINA, sunflower oil contains 40 to 45 per cent linoleic acid, essential for the body, and no harmful erucic acid. Seeds contain 42 to 44 per cent oil, of which a ghani (traditional mill) extracts 25 per cent and an expeller 30 to 35 per cent. Bangladesh produces about 2,000 tonnes of sunflower on 1,000 hectares, in districts such as Patuakhali, Rajshahi, Jashore, Kushtia, Natore, Pabna, Dinajpur, Gazipur and Tangail.

Sunflower can be grown in both Rabi (mid-November to mid-December) and Kharif-1 (mid-April to mid-May), so fallow land in both seasons can be brought under it. Cropping patterns such as T.Aman-fallow-Boro could become T.Aman-sunflower-Boro, and T.Aman-fallow-fallow could become T.Aman-sunflower-fallow. Saline fallow land in the south could also be used.

BINA recommends stronger research on shorter and hybrid varieties, a reliable supply of quality seed from public and private producers, and wide training to encourage farmers to use locally developed seed. It says 5.1 million hectares are under the T.Aman-fallow-fallow pattern; bringing at least 1.2 million hectares under sunflower could produce an extra 94,000 tonnes of oil, alongside awareness campaigns, stronger farmer-extension links and greater research capacity.

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