Nalini Kanta Roy of the Palashbari area of Nilphamari Sadar once made his living driving a van. What he earned from the van barely kept his household going, but growing bananas has changed his life, and his family is now hardly ever in want. Nalini is not alone: banana farming has changed the fortunes of many farmers like him.

Farmers in Nilphamari's six upazilas are profiting from bananas, and are also growing a range of vegetables as companion crops. Many are becoming self-reliant this way, planting intercrops in banana fields in the hope of higher profits. As in other parts of the country, mixed cropping is becoming popular across Nilphamari.

According to the Nilphamari district office of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), bananas have been planted on 172 hectares in the district this season: 55 hectares in Nilphamari Sadar, 28 in Domar, 2 in Dimla, 13 in Kishoreganj, 42 in Jaldhaka and 32 in Saidpur upazila.

Farmers say that by growing several crops on the same land at the same time in a season, they are making a profit. Many in the district are growing potatoes, cabbage, cauliflower, sweet pumpkin, aubergine, black gram and other crops in their banana fields.

Nalini Kanta Roy said: "I have planted bananas on two bighas and planted potatoes among them. When the potatoes are lifted I will plant lentils. If the crop is not ruined by some natural cause, I can sell more than Tk 1 lakh worth of bananas per bigha. The potatoes are already ready to sell. Growing bananas for several years has ended the hardship in my family."

Abdul Halim, a farmer from the same village, said: "Banana farming is weighted towards profit. You can plant 350 to 400 banana plants per bigha, and bananas can be cut within 11 months of planting. Of these, 300 to 320 plants bear fruit; the rest do not survive in the field for various reasons. At present it costs Tk 80 to 100 to produce a pir (hand) of bananas."

Tofazzal Hossain, a farmer from the Beltali area of Lakshmichap union, said: "Although vegetable prices are a little low now, after selling the potatoes you can grow sweet pumpkin or leafy crops on the same field and get Tk 10,000 to 12,000 per bigha. On contracted land, I am growing several crops to get more produce in less time and on less land in one season."

Mokila Bewa of the Nimtali area said: "My husband works away (at a brickfield) all year. I have grown bananas for 10 years and married off my two daughters with it. Bananas are our only crop, and the profit is good."

Dr SM Abu Bakar Saiful Islam, deputy director of the DAE in Nilphamari, said: "Farmers' interest in banana cultivation is growing day by day in the district. Growing companion crops is a strategy for earning more from the land. Because the profit is higher, farmers are planting intercrops in their banana fields. The agriculture department is giving farmers the advice and guidance they need."

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