Young entrepreneur Rustam Ali has set an example for others in Boro Majhipara village of Joypurhat Sadar upazila by growing ginger in sacks. He has planted ginger in 1,000 sacks as an intercrop in his papaya field and now hopes for a good profit. He believes that growing ginger alongside papaya is well worth it.

"Growing ginger in 1,000 sacks in February cost me Tk 44,000," Rustam Ali told Jago News. "Even if each sack gives just 1 kg, production will be 1,000 kg. At the current market price of Tk 220 a kg, that would sell for more than Tk 2 lakh. There are also 100 papaya trees on the same land, and I hope to sell more than a lakh taka worth of papaya from them."

Local sub-assistant agriculture officer Insan Ali told Jago News: "Farmers are being advised to grow ginger as an intercrop or on fallow land next to their homes so that they can profit. Rustam Ali has set an example by growing ginger in sacks."

Lutfar Rahman, a farmer in Boro Majhipara, said: "When Rustam planted ginger, many of us here thought ginger would not grow in this area. Today I came and saw the ginger has done very well. Rustam pulled up one sack, and it weighed about half a kilo to three poa. I will also grow ginger on 1 bigha of land next time."

Agriculturist Mojibur Rahman, additional deputy director of the district Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), told Jago News: "Growing ginger in sacks needs no separate land. Many people farm this way at home. There is also no fear of the crop drowning in heavy rain or floods. After one crop is harvested, another can be grown without extra fertiliser, and the cost is comparatively low."

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