Dinajpur farmers are getting high prices by bringing hyacinth beans (shim) to market before winter begins. The Sadar upazila agriculture office says 250 hectares in the upazila are under beans this year, with a production target of 2,500 tonnes.
At Ghughudanga in Sadar, field after field is planted with early beans and winter vegetables. Good weather has brought a strong crop and little pest damage, and the climbing vines are covered with flowers and clusters of pods.
Ghughudanga farmer Muktar Ali planted early beans on two bighas and has been selling for a month. On the first day he got Tk 200 a kilogram; the price has since fallen to Tk 70 to 80, but he says planting before winter has paid well. Farmers say early beans cost less to grow than other crops and earn more.
On set days of the week they pick fresh beans and sell them at local markets and to traders from Dhaka and other districts. After the beans, they are getting ready to plant early potatoes on the same land.
Dinajpur Sadar upazila agriculture officer Abdullah Al Masud Tushar said early vegetable varieties bring both good yields and good prices. Farmers have been advised regularly on quality seed, modern techniques and balanced use of fertiliser and pesticide, and because it pays, he expects early beans and other vegetables to spread.
The report is by Krishi Shomoy's Dinajpur correspondent.
Photo: Fanghong / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Source: Krishi Shomoy
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