Farmers in Mirsarai, Chattogram, are profiting from growing summer yardlong beans. Along with the yield they hoped for, they are getting good prices, and interest in the crop is growing.

According to the upazila agriculture office, summer yardlong beans were grown on about 200 acres in various unions of Mirsarai, known as the vegetable store of Chattogram. Both local and hybrid types were grown, with local beans the larger share this year. Besides flat land, many grew the beans in the hills.

Farmers are currently selling yardlong beans wholesale at Tk 50-60 a kg, while retailers who buy from them sell to ordinary shoppers at Tk 80-90.

The beans have been grown in Karerhat, Hinguli, Zorarganj, Durgapur, Mirsarai Sadar, Khaiyachhara, Wahedpur and Saherkhali unions, with the most in Wahedpur.

In the Mahamaya project area of Durgapur union, many people had set out beans grown in the hills, tying them into bundles to be taken to Mithachhara and other markets.

Abu Jafar, a farmer from Raipur, said: "Several of us in our village, including me, have grown yardlong beans in the hills, planting seedlings in the gaps in orchards. Because we get water on time from Mahamaya Lake, the yield is good."

Grower Ahsan Ullah said: "Yields in the hills are no lower than on flat land. In some places they are even higher because of soil fertility. But it is hard to bring the beans back because it is far."

Abu Sufian, a farmer from Nijtaluk, said: "This time I grew summer yardlong beans on 25 decimals. Last week I sold 80 kg at the market at Tk 55 a kg. I have sold at market five times so far and can sell for another month."

Jahangir Alam, a farmer of Madhyam Saherkhali, said: "Growing yardlong beans takes a lot of work. The yield is good this time and prices are better than before. It cost Tk 18,000 to grow them on 20 decimals, and I have already sold about Tk 45,000 worth. I can sell for another month."

Mahfuzul Haque Junu, chairman of Khaiyachhara union, said: "My union is well suited to vegetables, so farmers grow a lot of them, from the Dhaka-Chattogram highway to the foot of the hills. The agriculture office gives farmers various advice. If there were a cold store in the upazila, farmers could store vegetables and get better prices."

Kazi Md Nurul Alam, sub-assistant agriculture officer in Mirsarai, said: "Summer yardlong bean cultivation in Mirsarai has increased this year compared with the past few years. The favourable weather has given a good yield. We are encouraging farmers to grow vegetables and advising them on how to get better yields."

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