Green Agro Nursery's cocopeat seedlings, produced entirely without soil using modern technology, have made a stir in Rajbari. In plastic trays filled with coconut husk fibre, organic fertiliser and micronutrients, improved seedlings of 29 kinds of vegetables and fruit, including aubergine, chilli, tomato, papaya, cabbage, cauliflower, bottle gourd, banana and watermelon, are raised from seed in just 15 to 30 days.

Kazi Morshed Alam set up the nursery on one bigha at Bagmara Mor in Rajbari Sadar upazila in early 2022 to bring quality soilless seedlings to ordinary farmers. Seedlings are grown in trays with cocopeat, organic fertiliser, micronutrients, water and a little fungicide, and 12 workers raise and care for them. A polyfilm roof controls temperature over the seedbeds, and side nets keep out pathogens, mosquitoes and flies, so the seedlings are almost free of disease, grow quickly after planting and yield well. Several other soilless nurseries also operate in the district.

• Jamal Sheikh said roots used to tear when soil seedlings were lifted, but tray seedlings keep their roots, do not die after planting, have little disease and grow fast; he has used them for two years, and neighbours now buy them after seeing his yields.
• Sher Ali said many soil-raised seedlings die and seedlings are often not available on time, so he ordered 2,000 vegetable seedlings a week in advance.
• Khalil Mondol, Khandaker Enamul Hasan and Farid said seedbeds in soil suffered pests and disease, while cocopeat seedlings grow fast and yield well, and buying them costs the same as making a soil seedbed but is hassle-free.

Nursery manager Rabiul Islam said the quality means seedlings are sold online across the country, demand is so high that the nursery plans to expand the shed, and not a single seedling dies.

Rajbari Sadar upazila agriculture officer Md. Joni Khan said farmers now get improved, disease-resistant seedlings all year, saving time and money compared with soil seedbeds, and the seedlings are now going to other districts too.

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