Autumn is saying goodbye and late autumn is peeping in, with fog appearing at dawn. Winter follows, so farmers in Ishwardi are busy growing a range of winter vegetables. Vegetable farming is in full swing in the fields of Ishwardi upazila in Pabna, and many have planted early. Carrots, radish, beans, cabbage, cauliflower, kohlrabi and tomatoes are being grown across the fields.

According to the upazila agriculture office, vegetables are grown on 7,000 hectares in the upazila, part of it planted early. In Bharoimari, Naodapara, Munsidpur, Muladuli Moddhopara, Baghhachla, Sahapur, Mirkamari and other areas, farmers are busy with winter vegetables, tending their fields from morning to evening; some are busy sowing seed and planting seedlings. Beans are being grown in the villages of Muladuli union. Carrots are most common in Bharoimari, Naodapara, Mirkamari and Sahapur villages of Salimpur, while radish, cauliflower, tomatoes and coriander dominate on the Padma char land at Lakshmikunda.

Ziaul Islam, a vegetable farmer in Bharoimari, told Jagonews: "I'm preparing to grow cauliflower, cabbage and kohlrabi. I made seedbeds and raised seedlings, which will now be lifted and planted. If cabbage seedlings are planted at the end of Ashwin or the start of Kartik, the crop comes in within two months. I have started growing vegetables on four and a half bighas."

Mohamotin of Monsidpur village said: "I have made seedbeds for winter vegetables. I will lift the seedlings and plant them in the field in two to four days. This time I raised more cauliflower seedlings. Cauliflower brings a good profit."

Mehedi Islam of Naodapara village said: "I raised seedlings in seedbeds for the winter season. They are ready for planting and I will plant them in a few days. This area mainly grows carrots, radish and cabbage, and lychee on a large scale in summer."

Ariful Islam, sub-assistant agriculture officer for Salimpur union, told Jagonews: "Winter vegetables are being grown in the union, mostly carrots, radish, cauliflower, kohlrabi and beans. Tomatoes, coriander, red amaranth and spinach also yield well. We are giving farmers all kinds of advice."

Mita Sarkar, the upazila agriculture officer, told Jagonews: "Winter vegetables are grown on about 7,000 hectares here, including beans, cauliflower, carrots and radish. The rabi season begins on 16 October. Farmers here are busy with winter vegetables, and agriculture department officials are advising them all the time."

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