Md Ali Hossain (75), a farmer and retired army member in Birtul village, Nagari union, Kaliganj upazila, Gazipur, has succeeded in growing coloured cauliflower for the first time as a trial. He grows white cauliflower, cabbage and broccoli every year, but this year he grew yellow and purple cauliflower. His coloured cauliflowers have caused a stir in the local market; many are buying them, and they are selling at higher prices. The farmer is happy with the price, and neighbouring farmers are being encouraged to grow them too.

Ali Hossain said he did not at first dare to grow coloured cauliflower, fearing a loss. He took it up after full support and advice from officials at the local agriculture office. Others are encouraged by his success at the first attempt, and he said that if the agriculture office keeps supporting him, he will grow only coloured cauliflower on 20 decimals in future.

Ali Hossain said: "Although I have a lot of farmland, I started on just 2 decimals. I planted about 200 coloured cauliflower seedlings from seed I got from the agriculture office, and all of them grew well. Now I sell them at the market at Tk 60 a kg wholesale, and they sell again at retail for Tk 70–90 a kg. The cost of growing them is about the same, but they need more organic fertiliser. Like white cauliflower, coloured cauliflower grows quite large."

Nazrul Islam, a farmer in Birtul village, said: "At first I was doubtful whether coloured cauliflower would grow like white cauliflower. But my neighbour, Uncle Ali Hossain, has grown it successfully on 2 decimals. If I get help from the agriculture office, I will grow this cauliflower too."

Ropon Sheikh, a farmer in the same village, said: "Many people are coming to see Grandfather Ali Hossain's coloured cauliflower field. Some are buying them, and some are taking photos and sharing them on social media. This is the first time we have seen this kind of vegetable grown."

Md Monir Uddin Mollah, sub-assistant agriculture officer for Nagari union, said: "On our agriculture officer's advice, we collected coloured cauliflower seed for the first time and gave it to farmer Ali Hossain. He planted 200 seedlings. The farmer is happy with the yield of this trial crop, and neighbouring farmers are showing interest in growing it too."

Kaliganj upazila agriculture officer, agriculturist Farzana Taslim, said: "Cauliflower has been grown on 129 hectares in Kaliganj upazila this year, most of it white. This is the first time coloured cauliflower is being grown. As a local farmer showed interest, we supported him on a trial basis. There is no extra cost in growing coloured cauliflower; it costs the same as white cauliflower."

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