Beans (shim) are a popular winter vegetable. Because output is low at the start of the winter season, prices in the market are high, and farmers in Meherpur have turned to growing beans hoping to sell them at high prices even out of season.

With no natural disaster this season, farmers are making good profits from bean sales. Beans have been grown on 550 hectares in the district this year.

According to the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), beans have been grown on 550 hectares in fields across the district's three upazilas, including 300 hectares in Sadar upazila and 150 hectares in Mujibnagar and Gangni upazilas.

In Pirojpur union of Meherpur Sadar upazila, large areas of beans have been grown in the fields of several villages including Baradi, Patkelpota, Kanthalpota, Sonapur, Pirojpur, Tungi and Goharpur. Field after field is covered in bean flowers. Some farmers were irrigating and spraying pesticide, some tending the plants and others picking beans.

Beans have been grown on about 800 bighas in the fields of Kanthalpota village and about 300 bighas in Tungi village in Pirojpur union. Large areas have also been planted in various villages of Mujibnagar and Gangni upazilas.

Rafiqul Islam, a farmer from Kanthalpota village, told Jagonews24 that he prepares his land and sows bean seed before winter begins, and makes good profits selling beans through the whole winter. The vegetable is now grown in summer as well as winter.

Many have become self-reliant by adopting new growing methods. Beans have almost no virus problems compared with other vegetables and grow in all kinds of soil. They can be grown on roofs, on trellises, by roads or ponds and even on field ridges. Because demand and prices are good, farmers in the area are also turning to growing beans in summer.

Noman Ali, another bean farmer from Kanthalpota, said he has been growing beans for more than ten years. He has spent about Tk 9,000 so far and hopes to sell beans worth a lakh of taka if no natural disaster strikes.

Surman Hossain, from the same village, has grown beans on two bighas this year. He needs Tk 500 to 600 worth of pesticide every week, he said, but even though fertiliser and pesticide are expensive, he expects to recover his production costs.

Mohan Ali and Sakirul Islam, bean farmers from Tungi village, said they sharecrop other people's land every year to grow beans and still make a good profit. Beans bring high returns at low cost, and they plan to grow even more next year.

Bean trader Abdul Salam said that for about twelve years he has bought beans from farmers in the fields and sold them in various districts; farmers profit from selling at the field, and so do the traders.

Trader Abdul Wadud said that when farmers take beans to town it costs them Tk 3 a kg, which is why they sell to traders from the field.

Sadar upazila agriculture officer Nasrin Parvin said the bean yield has been good this season and, with good weather, farmers will profit more. Beans are grown on small plots with little capital and offer good profits, which is why farmers grow them every year. Favourable weather has brought a bumper crop this year and put smiles on farmers' faces.

Swapan Kumar Kha, deputy director of the DAE in Meherpur, said Meherpur's soil is very good for vegetables. Beans have been grown on 550 hectares in the district's three upazilas this year, the yield is good and farmers are getting good prices. The agriculture department is always beside farmers with all kinds of support, he said.

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