Early variety winter vegetables raise hope among farmers

In Gaibandha district, farmers are working hard to make extra money by growing early vegetables for the winter market.

They're putting in a lot of effort to grow seedlings and take care of their fields in different areas of the district. Winter vegetable prices are shooting up, making small-scale farmers keen to produce more in the hopes of making more money.

The Gaibandha Agricultural Extension Department has set a target to grow vegetables on about 10,000 hectares of land in seven upazilas (sub-districts) this Rabi season. So far, around 1,000 hectares have been cultivated. It's expected that they'll meet or even exceed this target by the second week of the next month, thanks to the farmers' enthusiasm.

Vegetable prices have been going up since the last harvest season, and winter vegetable prices are especially high this Rabi season. This has motivated farmers to start growing various vegetables like beans, cucumbers, radishes, gourds, eggplants, spinach, and red vegetables.

However, farmers are finding it tough because the prices of seeds, seedlings, fertilizers, pesticides, and other farming supplies have gone up this year. But they're not giving up; they're working hard in the fields, hoping to make a profit from growing winter vegetables.

One farmer, Belal Uddin Fakir, said, "I've already planted gourd and radish on one and a half bigha of land. In a few days, I can sell the crops. It cost me around Tk 25,000, and if the prices are good, I hope to make about Tk 50,000 in profit, after covering my expenses."

Another farmer, Mudhu Mia, is growing radishes, spinach, and other winter vegetables on more land this year. He's a bit disappointed with the lack of support from the agriculture department but remains committed to expanding his winter vegetable cultivation.

Deputy Assistant Agriculture Officer Tanjimul Hasan assured that various efforts are being made to support local vegetable demand and help the farmers.

Khorshed Alam, Deputy Director of the Gaibandha Agricultural Extension Department, mentioned that they have set an ambitious goal of cultivating vegetables on 9,825 hectares of land this Rabi season. With about 1,000 hectares already cultivated, they're optimistic about reaching or exceeding this target.

Gaibandha's hardworking farmers are making the most of the high demand for winter vegetables, despite the challenges they face. As the Rabi season continues, everyone is watching these dedicated farmers and their efforts to meet the growing demand for fresh produce.