Md Ripon Mia, son of Md Amir Ali of Bhitarband union in Kurigram's Nageshwari upazila, has found success growing capsicum, a winter vegetable. He was inspired to grow it by watching YouTube. Growing capsicum alongside other crops, he now earns Tk 50,000 a month. With good profits in a short time, other farmers are growing interested, but with no government marketing initiative they cannot make a breakthrough.

Ripon Mia said he had worked abroad to earn a living. He came back to the village and turned to farming for self-employment. With little land of his own, he leased other people's land and started growing capsicum. He made a profit on 1 bigha in the first year, moved to two bighas the next year and now grows it on 4 bighas. Hearing of his profits, interest in capsicum is growing in the area.

"I had no idea about capsicum. After watching YouTube I decided to try it for real. Alongside cucumber and cauliflower, I am earning well from capsicum. One bigha needs 50 grams of capsicum seed, which costs Tk 13,000. Seedlings have to be raised in cocopeat, so costs are a bit higher," he said.

"This year fertiliser and pesticide prices were high, so it cost Tk 1 lakh a bigha. So far I have sold Tk 3 lakh worth of capsicum from 4 bighas, and there is still plenty in the field. I hope to make a better profit than other years. There is no demand for capsicum in the local market; I am selling at Karwan Bazar in Dhaka for Tk 120 a kg," Ripon Mia said.

Day labourer Ibrahim Hossain said: "I look after Ripon bhai's capsicum. Four people like me work here and support our families. Capsicum takes little labour and gives good profit. There are two kinds in the field, Indira and Tiger. Many people come here to see it."

Farmer Abdul Hamid, who came to see the crop, said: "For the past two years I have seen Ripon bhai make lakhs of taka growing capsicum. I hope to start growing it myself in future."

Biplob Kumar Mohanta, deputy director of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) in Kurigram, said: "Ripon Mia is growing capsicum on 4 bighas in Nageshwari upazila. For the past two years only he has been growing it. The agriculture office has arranged advice and fertiliser at a fair price for him. He will be supported with farm loans, seed and incentives."

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