NATORE, Dec 19: A total of 1,500 hectares of land have been brought under mustard seed cultivation under Sadar upazila of the district during the current season. Farmers and agriculture officers are expecting massive mustard production if the weather remains favourable.
Md. Abdul Jalil Mridha, sub-assistant agriculture officer of Natore Sadar upazila agriculture office informed mustard seed has been cultivated on 1,500 hectares of land at different areas of the Sadar upazila against a target of 3,057 hectares of land. Last year, 1,720 hectares of land were brought under mustard cultivation against the same target.
Mustard has been cultivated at Halsha, Laxmipur Kholabaria, Madhnagar, Piprul, Patul, Teberia, Chhatni, Dighapotia and Hazra Natore villages in Natore. Last year, mustard seed was sold at Tk 1,800 to 2,200 per maund at different haats and bazaars of the upazila, he added.
Md. Nurul Islam, additional agriculture officer of Natore Sadar said the land of the district is suitable for cultivating all kinds of crops. Some varieties such as Bari-14/15, Bina-4, and Tori-7 varieties of mustard have been cultivated at different areas of Sadar upazila this season. From per bigha land, 4 maunds of mustard production are expected. The seeds will be matured within 90 days after spreading seeds on the ground.
Besides mustard, farmers also cultivated other varieties of Rabi crops in the upazila such as pulse, onion, garlic, cabbage, cauliflower etc. Agriculture office provides necessary advice to farmers about ploughing, seed, fertiliser, and pest control throughout the year, he added.
Md. Belayet Hossain, a model farmer of Hazra village in Natore said he has 14 bighas of land. Of them, he cultivated mustard on 8 bighas of land at a cost of Tk 2,500 per bigha and the production target is 5 to 6 maunds per bigha. He will sell per maund mustard at Tk 1,500 to 1,800 in the markets this season. Besides mustard, he also cultivated cabbage, cauliflower, and bottle gourd on the rest land.
Farid Ali, another farmer of Pourba Haguria village under Sadar upazila said he has six and a half bighas of land. He cultivated mustard seed on one and a half bigha and pulse on the rest five bighas of land. The production cost of pulse is lower than mustard seed, he added. Local agriculture office provides necessary advices and other agro-facilities regularly, he further added.