Growing winter tomatoes on a char (river island) of the Padma in Sujanagar, Pabna, has changed the fortunes of several hundred farmers. This season farmers on the char will earn Tk 2 crore from tomato sales alone. Their households, once hard up, are now comfortable.

According to the upazila agriculture office, Sujanagar upazila is mainly an onion-growing area. Pabna is the second-largest onion-producing district in the country, and within the district Sujanagar produces the most onions. Khalilpur, Char Khalilpur and Kalikapur villages in Sagarkandi union of the upazila have vast char areas. Paddy and jute do not do well on that land, and farmers mostly make losses growing them there.

The office said farmers have succeeded in growing winter tomatoes on that land for the first time. This year about 300 farmers grew various hybrid tomato varieties, including Mintu Super and Hero Super. With favourable weather and timely use of fertiliser and pesticide, most fields have produced a bumper crop.

Yasin Ali, a farmer from Khalilpur village, said: "This year yields have reached 120-130 maunds a bigha. Tomato prices in the market are also quite good."

Abdul Aziz Mondal, a farmer from Kalikapur village, said: "Growing tomatoes on 1 bigha costs Tk 10,000-12,000, including fertiliser, seed and labour. Tomatoes are selling at Tk 700-800 a maund in the market. After production costs, the tomatoes from each bigha are selling for Tk 80,000-85,000."

Farmer Akkas Ali said: "There used to be want in our household. Now, by selling tomatoes grown on the char land, the household is running quite well."

Upazila agriculture officer Moynul Haque Sarkar said: "For the first time, farmers have made a remarkable show by growing tomatoes on khas (government) char land. It has changed their fortunes. From now on farmers will be given support to grow tomatoes."

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