Sirajganj Correspondent:
Farmers in the upazilas of Sirajganj district are expecting a bumper harvest in sweet potato cultivation. This has brought smiles to the faces of the farmers.
According to the relevant office sources, profitable sweet potato cultivation has been done on 380 hectares of land in different places of 9 upazilas of the district. Among them, this cultivation has been more in different places of Kazipur, Belkuchi, Kamarkhand, Shahjadpur and Sadar upazilas.
Farmers have turned to sweet potato cultivation this year as the cost is low and the profit is high. This cultivation is mostly done in the char areas that have emerged on the banks of the Jamuna and Shakha rivers. Sweet potatoes have been cultivated on 25 hectares of land in Bagbati and Khokshabari unions in Sadar upazila. Among them, the green scene of sweet potato cultivation has spread along the banks of the dead Ichamati river in Bagbati union. Sweet potatoes have been planted on about 50 bighas of land on the banks of this river. Local farmers say that sweet potato seeds are planted in the land in the month of Agrahayan and the crop is harvested after a few months. Sweet potato cultivation is more profitable than other crops including rice. This cultivation requires less effort and cost, and the profit is higher.
The price of this potato is also good in the market. Especially the traders buy this potato at a good price and they export it abroad every year. This time too, there is hope of bumper yield in potato cultivation. In this regard, Deputy Director of the District Agriculture Department A. Ahsan Shahid Sarkar said, this time too, bumper yield is expected in potato cultivation in different places in the district. Farmers are also being advised in this cultivation. If the weather is favorable, the farmers will be happy to harvest this profitable potato.
This sweet potato is very beneficial in preventing cancer. Therefore, there is a demand for this potato abroad as well as in the country. He mentioned that this potato is exported to various countries including China and Japan every year.
