Capsicum is a colourful foreign vegetable rich in vitamins A and C, and its big buyers are the large hotels and restaurants of the cities. Because it brings more profit for less labour, it is growing in popularity with farmers. In Gadkhali, Jashore's flower capital, farmer Monjur Alam has caused a stir this year growing red, yellow and green capsicum.

Monjur Alam is the son of Samsuddin Morol of Patuapara village in Jhikargachha upazila. Because it costs little and pays well, he has grown capsicum for four seasons in a row. He collects seed from India, raises his own seedlings and grows the Netherlands variety 'Bacheta'. He grows it on one bigha of land under a polythene shade (shed), at a cost of just Tk 1.5 lakh.

Monjur Alam said capsicum had given a bumper yield this year. "After costs I hope to make a profit of at least Tk 15 lakh. I have already sold capsicum worth Tk 3.5 lakh. Demand in the market is much higher this year than in the past few years. Capsicum is now selling wholesale at Tk 250 a kg. Almost every plant on the bigha has borne fruit, and some capsicums weigh up to 500 grams," he said.

In late November last year he sowed seed in seedling trays. When the seedlings were 26 days old he transplanted them to the field, and the plants began to bear when they were 55 days old. His field has three kinds of capsicum: red, green and yellow.

He said the local agriculture office is giving help and advice on growing capsicum. "I believe that with government support I could grow it on a large scale and help create jobs for the unemployed in the area," he said.

Abdullah Al Mamun, an officer of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) in Jhikargachha upazila, said growing capsicum in Gadkhali in this way, after flowers, is certainly a success. Monjur Alam has made good profits from capsicum several times, and the DAE is giving him all-round support, he said.

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