Md Asadullah is past 70 and has been farming for 30 of those years. He grows various seasonal vegetables every year, and this time he has grown cauliflower on three of his own plots. He is tending them carefully in the hope of extra profit and believes he will again come out ahead.

Md Asadullah lives in Hamchhadi, in Baidyer Bazar union of Sonargaon, Narayanganj. Farming has made him self-reliant, and even in old age he still supports his family. This season he has planted 3,000 cauliflowers on his three plots, which he will be able to harvest and take to market within the next month.

The farmer said each of the 3,000 seedlings cost Tk 10-12, and so far he has spent Tk 35,000-36,000 in all on planting. Some more spending may still be needed. The vegetable is harvested a month and a half after planting, and by that rule he will be able to pick the cauliflowers within the next 20 days.

He reckons the crop can be sold for about Tk 70,000-75,000. In past seasons he has been making a profit of about 40%. This year he applied organic fertiliser, TSP and cow dung to the cauliflower plots and waters the seedlings every three days. He said the vegetable is mainly planted in early Ashwin and the crop harvested in Bhadra.

With the care of his helper Shahjahan he has so far seen a good crop. Every year at least 300-400 of the 3,000 to 3,500 seedlings are lost, but this causes no real problem. Shahjahan, who works in the field regularly, said: "There is a bumper crop this time. We will make a good profit again. So far hardly any seedlings have been lost, and even if a few are, it won't matter."

Sonargaon upazila agriculture officer Afroza Sultana said: "Farmers are currently cultivating 9,220 hectares in Sonargaon. We keep in regular contact with them. We don't think only about helping cauliflower growers; we have to serve the growers of all crops. We also advise them on disease-free cultivation and on getting good yields."

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