Some 200-plus farmers in nine unions of Sonagazi upazila in Feni have profited financially from growing tomatoes. The crop has been a bumper one: tomatoes were grown on 102 hectares in the upazila this season, yielding about 35-40 maunds per hectare. With good prices, farmers in the villages are smiling.

According to the agriculture office, of the 102 hectares, BARI tomato was grown on 20 hectares, Manik on 38, Ratan on 32, and Roma VF and Safal on 6 hectares each, making 12 hectares. Last year tomatoes were grown on 65 hectares in the upazila, so 37 more hectares were planted this year. Cultivation was heaviest in Char Sonapur, Sujapur, Sulakhali, Char Chandia, Char Shahabhikari, Uttar Char Chandia, Paschim Char Darbesh, Char Lamchhi, Char Krishnajoy, Bhor Bazar, Laxmipur, Anandipur, Bhoyag, Bhadadia, Char Khoaj, Ahammadpur and Majupur.

Farmers said villagers in the upazila are increasingly turning to tomatoes, though paddy remains their main occupation. On the advice of the agriculture department, interest in growing various vegetables alongside paddy is rising, and because of good results the area grows every year. For the last three to four months, an average of 100-200 maunds of tomatoes have been sent every day from Char Sonapur to local markets and the district town. As the season is near its end, tomatoes now sell at Tk 1,800 a maund; when supply rises, prices fall.

In Char Sonapur and Sujapur, several farmers were seen collecting tomatoes from the fields and piling them by the roadside, where they were sorted into 20-kilogram baskets and 5-kilogram net bags. Farmers said the tomatoes would go to wholesale markets in Sonagazi municipality and Feni town, and from there pass through several hands to consumers.

Fakir Ahammad of the Sonapur area said three of them together spent Tk 12 lakh to grow tomatoes on 5 acres. They have been selling for four months, prices are very good now, and so far they have sold tomatoes worth Tk 15 lakh. The tomatoes still in his field can fetch about Tk 3 lakh more, which will leave a profit of Tk 6-7 lakh after all costs, he said.

Jahidul Haque, a farmer in Paschim Char Darbesh, said tomatoes sold for Tk 300 a kg in Sonagazi's markets last year, which is when he decided to grow them. This time he spent Tk 8 lakh on 4 acres. Because of the good soil the yield has been very good and he is making a good profit. In the past four months he has sold tomatoes worth Tk 12 lakh and can sell about Tk 2-3 lakh more. He plans to grow tomatoes on more land in future.

Pratap Chandra Nath, sub-assistant agriculture officer of the upazila Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), said: "Because of favourable weather, there has been a bumper tomato crop this year, and farmers are getting good prices in the market. After costs, a grower can make a profit of more than a lakh taka per acre this year."

"According to our field estimates, the yield this year was about 35-40 maunds per hectare. Because farmers tended their crops following the agriculture department's supervision and advice, they have had a bumper yield and made a profit. Tomato cultivation in the upazila will increase in the coming years," he said.

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