Farmer Jamal in Lakshmipur has succeeded in growing coloured cauliflower and cabbage commercially, getting a good yield of these highly nutritious vegetables for the local market. This year, for the first time, he grew white, pink and yellow cauliflower and red cabbage on 20 decimals of land beside his home in Charmonsa village of Bhabaniganj union in Sadar upazila.

The yield has met expectations. As word spread, farmers and people from all walks of life came from nearby areas to see the crop, and many bought cauliflower straight from the field. Others are now being encouraged to grow it.

According to Jamal, coloured cauliflower fetches a higher price at market. Production costs, including land preparation, came to about Tk 70,000, and he expects a profit of more than half that. At the town's Chawkbazar, winter cauliflower and cabbage were selling at Tk 20–30 a kg, while coloured cauliflower sold at Tk 150 a kg and coloured cabbage at Tk 80–100.

Akhtar Uz Zaman, who came to the field to buy coloured cauliflower, said they are tasty and nutritious and in demand at market. Md Ibrahim, a farmer in Charmonsa, said: "Jamal has grown coloured cauliflower for the first time. The vegetables are good and the price is good too. White cauliflower, on the other hand, is cheap; it doesn't even cover production costs."

Farmer Jamal said: "I am the one who has grown coloured cauliflower in this area. Many people come asking about how to grow it. It catches everyone's eye at market. Besides, an NGO is using my plot as a demonstration."

Lakshmipur Sadar upazila agriculture officer Md Hasan Imam said: "Farmer Jamal has grown nutritious coloured cauliflower on a trial basis and is getting a good price. We are running a campaign and training farmers so that they become interested in producing this vegetable. Farmers will benefit financially."

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