Sushen Bala and Dipa Bala have succeeded in growing coloured cauliflower in Sreepur, Magura. They have grown cauliflower in seven colours, including golden, purple, red, broccoli and orange, on 40 decimals of land in Hazratala village of Sreepur upazila's Nakol union.

The farmers said coloured cauliflower is as tasty as it is beautiful to look at. The nutritious coloured varieties sell for four times the price of ordinary cauliflower. Large numbers of people from across Magura district crowd in every day to see it.

Farmer Sushen Bala said he grew coloured cauliflower on 20 decimals of land with the help of the upazila agriculture office. While ordinary white cauliflower sells in the market for Tk 20 a kg, he is selling his at four times the price, which he gives as Tk 60 a kg. Because it is a new variety and fetches a higher price, he said he will grow it on more land next season.

Farmer Dipa Bala said she grew new varieties of cauliflower in various colours, including golden and purple, on 20 decimals of land using seed and fertiliser from the Sreepur upazila agriculture office. The yield has been as good as that of ordinary cauliflower.

Seeing the two local farmers' success with the new varieties, many others, including farmer Mrinal Kanti of the same village, have shown interest. This year cauliflower in seven colours was grown on a trial basis in Sreepur upazila through the agriculture office.

Sreepur upazila agriculture officer, agriculturist Salma Jahan Nipa, said: "Coloured cauliflower has much higher nutritional value and market price. Local farmers in Magura are showing interest in growing it. Cultivation of coloured cauliflower in the upazila will increase in future."

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