A bumper chilli harvest this year has brought smiles to farmers in areas along the Bhogai and Chellakhali rivers in Nalitabari, a border upazila of Sherpur. Both the good yield and the market price of chilli, known locally as "red gold", have come as a blessing for growers. With low costs, higher profits and favourable conditions, chilli has become a promising cash crop for farmers in the area.

After meeting local demand, the chilli grown here is reaching different parts of the country, and farmers' interest is growing steadily. Besides local varieties, Bed Gold, Bijli Plus and Balijuri chillies were grown this year.

Demand for chilli from this area has spread across the country. Chilli from Nalitabari is supplied to the capital, Dhaka, and to various other districts. Farmers are increasingly turning to the crop because it brings more profit for less cost and labour, and good prices for dried chilli this season have pleased them.

Of the upazila's one municipality and 12 unions, the most chilli is grown in Morichpuran union, particularly in Dakshin Konnagar, Fakirpara, Benirgop and Moulvipara. Chilli is also grown to a greater or lesser extent in almost every union, including Jogania, Kalaspar, Nayabil, Nonni, Poragaon and Rajnagar. Besides meeting household needs, farmers are earning money by selling it.

According to local people, one union was named Morichpuran because of the upazila's large chilli output.

According to the upazila agriculture office, the target this season was to grow chilli on 75 hectares, which has already been met. Chillies have begun to ripen in many fields, and farmers are picking and drying them on the chars and in their yards before selling. In local markets green chilli sells at Tk 70 to 100 a kg and dried chilli at Tk 350 to 400 a kg.

Growers said chilli cultivation expands in the area every year because it gives a good profit at low cost. An acre produces from a minimum of 800 kg up to a maximum of 2,400 kg of chilli.

Local farmers Md Munsur Ali Mir and Md Habibur Rahman said: "With proper care and favourable weather, it is possible to get a good yield and more profit from chilli." Farmer Sohanur Rahman, however, said that although the yield was somewhat lower this season, the market price was satisfactory.

Sakhawat Hossain, deputy director of the district agriculture department, told Jago News: "Chilli farmers are being given regular advice in the field. Farmers are being made aware of disease and pest control, improved cultivation methods and crop care."

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