Good yields, good prices, low costs and little care: on those sums, green chilli is spreading in Hakimpur (Hili) upazila of Dinajpur. Upazila agriculture officer Arjena Begum said chilli once covered 2 to 3 hectares in the upazila and now covers 8, and some people are even growing it in pots.
The change began with Atiar Rahman, a farmer in Murshidpur village of Alihat union. Visiting Kahalu in Bogura, he saw farmers there making money from chilli instead of rice. He brought back seed, advice and inputs, started on a small plot, and this year planted 3 bighas.
Atiar said rice had brought him loss after loss, not even covering his costs. This time chilli cost him about Tk 70,000; he has already sold Tk 2.5 lakh worth and expects about as much again from what is still in the field. Green chilli is selling at Tk 110 to Tk 120 a kilo. His worry is imports: when the government brings in chilli from abroad, prices drop and he risks a loss.
Others in the village are following. Mostafizur Rahman, who used to drive a rickshaw-van, has leased land for chilli. Farmer Sirajul Islam said they turned to chilli because rice was losing money, and Afzal Hossain plans to give up rice from next year and plant at least a little chilli.
Farm labourers have more work too. Tarikul Islam said he once worked only in paddy fields; now he ties chilli plants, weeds and banks up their roots, and the wages keep his household going.
Arjena Begum said the agriculture department visits the fields regularly to advise chilli growers and expects the upazila's chilli area to grow further. The report is by Desh Rupantor's Hili correspondent.
Photo: Ssmmgbsanskriti / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Source: Desh Rupantor
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