Field after field of beans stretches as far as the eye can see, their pink and white flowers catching every eye amid the green vines. Some plants have already started bearing pods. Farmers of Muladuli union in Ishwardi are now pinning their hopes on the early "Auto" bean.

Farmers here profit every time from growing early Auto beans, and they are hoping to do so again this year. So they are extremely busy tending their crops, spending their time caring for the flowers and pods, even at the expense of meals.

A visit to various villages in Muladuli union found early bean cultivation in full swing in the area, known as one of the country's main bean-producing areas. Farmers begin preparing for the early crop in mid-Jyoishtha. To protect the plants from monsoon rain, they have built beds 12 to 16 inches high.

On these raised beds they have planted Auto beans. The Auto bean plants have already climbed the trellises and are covered in flowers. Within the next 20 to 25 days the beans will reach the market in full. Farmers here succeed with Auto beans every year, so cultivation grows each year. A large market has grown up in Muladuli around bean farming. In the season, an average of 25 to 30 trucks of beans are sent every day to Dhaka, Sylhet, Chattogram, Barishal and other district towns.

Bean farmer Kamal Hossain of Baghhachla village in Muladuli said he has grown beans on two and a half bighas. Growing a bigha costs Tk 40,000 to 45,000. If the crop is good, beans from a bigha will sell for Tk 1.2 lakh to Tk 1.5 lakh. He said the early Auto bean first sold at Tk 150 a kg last year. With a good yield and fair prices, farmers will profit. Farmer Yunus Ali of Betbaria village said farmers here have profited greatly from early beans and their interest is growing.

Aminul Islam Babu, adviser to the Muladuli Daily Vegetable Market Association, said early bean cultivation has begun but sales have not yet started. He expects early beans to reach the market within 20 to 25 days.

Md Aliuzzaman, sub-assistant agriculture officer for Muladuli union, told Jago News that early varieties named Auto, Ghrita Kanchan and Rupshi are the most widely grown here. Although farmers profit from early beans, they have to apply excessive doses of fertiliser and pesticide.

According to the Ishwardi upazila agriculture office, beans are grown on 1,130 hectares in the upazila, of which 850 hectares are in Muladuli union alone. In 2021, beans worth Tk 81 crore 36 lakh were sold in the upazila.

Upazila Agriculture Officer Mita Sarkar told Jago News that the early beans found in the capital's markets are produced in Ishwardi, which grows more beans than anywhere else in the country. Farmers growing early beans use excessive fertiliser and pesticide, which is very harmful to health, she said. Farmers are being advised on how to produce early beans using less fertiliser and pesticide.

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