The char lands of the Kishoreganj haors are now full of golden colour. Over the past few years haor farmers have turned to maize, which costs less to grow, earns more and carries no fear of floods or drought. This year again the yield has been bumper. The Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) says the golden crop will make an important contribution to the region's farm economy.

Haor farmers have long lived by growing rice, but without favourable conditions they rarely made much profit. When demand for maize rose in the country's poultry and feed mill sectors, they saw a new opportunity, and many left rice for maize.

According to the DAE, the district set a target of 12,100 hectares this year, with production put at 12,210 tonnes. Cultivation exceeded the target, reaching 12,210 hectares. Most of the maize was grown in four upazilas, which together account for 7,703 hectares, the DAE said.

Maize was grown on 3,110 hectares in Nikli upazila, 2,880 hectares in Mithamain, 2,010 hectares in Bajitpur and 980 hectares in Austagram. The yield has been bumper, raising hopes that production will exceed the target. Wholesalers are buying from the fields at Tk 1,000 to Tk 1,100 a maund.

Locals say maize has eased much of the worry haor farmers had over rabi crops, but they urged that farmers' interests be protected in marketing. Only then, they said, will maize truly become a living dream for farmers.

Abdur Rahim, a farmer in Mithamain upazila, said: "Rice farming in our haor area is risky because of floods, but maize carries little such risk, because we can harvest it before the rainy season. Maize also costs less to grow than rice but earns more."

Farmer Sharif Uddin said: "This land is high and used to lie fallow. I grew maize here and the yield is good. If prices hold, I will make a profit. We have also had help with maize farming from the agriculture office."

Nazim Uddin, a farmer in the Itna haor, said: "We gain from maize in three ways. We sell the maize, feed the green leaves to cattle, and dry the plants to use as firewood."

Dr Md Sadikur Rahman, deputy director of the DAE in Kishoreganj, said: "Farmers are turning to maize as a safe crop for the haor. There is a chance of early floods in the haor, and growing maize protects them from early floods."

He said maize is becoming popular in the Kishoreganj haor area because of its good price and demand. "The DAE has stood by maize farmers with regular field-level technical advice, from seed selection and fertiliser management to disease control," he said.

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