Maize cultivation in Bangladesh has nearly doubled in five or six years. After the west, maize has now become one of the main cash crops for farmers in the northern districts. They say more financial success is possible if quality seed and markets are ensured.

In 2010-11, maize production in the country was 1.552 million tonnes. By 2015-16 it had risen to 2.759 million tonnes, and this year the agriculture department expects 3.5 million tonnes.

With lower input costs and hassle-free farming, farmers now give maize priority over rice, bananas or any other crop.

Across Panchagarh, Thakurgaon, Dinajpur and a large part of the Rangpur region, fields glow golden with maize. Farmers are busy harvesting, threshing and drying, and everyone talks of profit.

Farmers want the government to buy maize at a fixed price, as it does rice, so they can profit. Meanwhile, many maize growers complain they are being cheated by poor-quality seed from various companies. The agriculture department says it will take a tough line against seed companies if it receives complaints. Farmers' one demand is that the irresponsible commercial practices of seed companies be brought under control.

Source: Shykh Seraj, Hridoye Mati O Manush. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.