Groundnut farming is expanding day by day on the chars of Narsingdi, thanks to low costs, little labour, high yields and good market prices. It has sparked new interest and hope among farmers. Because locally grown groundnuts are of good quality, demand for them is rising across the country.

The agriculture department said farmers are being given regular advice and technical support to extend groundnut farming further. With the help of agricultural development projects and the Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture (BINA), farmers are also being encouraged through seed support, incentives and demonstrations.

Groundnut is grown most on the wide Meghna chars of Raipura upazila, at Chanpur, Majherchar, Mouhinipur and Sadagar Kandi; at Chardighaldi and Alokbali in Sadar upazila; and at Char Belabo in Belabo upazila. Because groundnut prices have risen compared with before, the area under cultivation grows every year.

Farmers say groundnut needs no fertiliser or pesticide, so costs are low and profits high. Spending Tk 15,000 to 20,000 on a bigha can yield a crop worth Tk 35,000 to 40,000. Other crops can also be grown on the same land after the groundnut harvest.

Karim Mia, a farmer of Majherchar village in Raipura, said: "This year I have grown groundnut on about 10 bighas. It cost about Tk 2 lakh. God willing, if the crop is good, it will sell for around Tk 5 lakh."

The district set a target of 290 hectares of groundnut this season, and about 310 hectares have already been sown. This has created work for local men and women at various stages, including harvesting, drying and sorting.

Salauddin Tipu, additional deputy director (crops) of the Narsingdi Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), said groundnut is being grown on fallow land where other crops do not grow. "This is increasing production and farmers are profiting. We are regularly supporting farmers with the advice they need."

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