Farmer Ataur Rahman of Sharsha in Jashore has profited by growing an early summer hybrid bean variety, IPSA-1. Because the district's soil suits early vegetables, yields are double, and farmers see hope in early bean cultivation. This year early beans were grown on 45 hectares in the upazila.

The bean plants on Ataur Rahman's 33 decimals of land (Ulashi block) are laden with flowers and pods. He sowed the early bean seed last July. The plants began to bear 45 days after planting, and he started picking beans after about 60 days. In all, including planting, irrigation, fertiliser, weeding, pesticide and building trellises, the cost was Tk 15,000 to Tk 20,000. He is now selling the beans wholesale at Tk 90 to Tk 100.

Farmer Ataur Rahman said: "I have grown beans on 33 decimals. Every week I can pick 4 maunds of beans from the land, and I'm getting a good price at market. After all costs I will be able to make a profit of about Tk 1 lakh to Tk 1.5 lakh."

He said: "The Sharsha agriculture office gave me the seed of this hybrid bean. They said this bean yields more than others, so I grew it and have made a good profit. The agriculture office keeps checking on me regularly."

Upazila agriculture officer Dipak Kumar Saha said: "Although beans are a winter vegetable, early (summer) beans are grown in our country. Farmers are now profiting by growing the early IPSA-1 hybrid bean, and early beans fetch a good price too. Farmers are becoming more interested in early varieties day by day."

He said: "We are giving farmers every kind of help. This bean is planted in the month of Srabon and begins to bear 45 days after planting. This year early beans were grown on 45 hectares in the upazila. With favourable weather, the yield has been better than last year."

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