Intercropping of garlic with guava gets impetus at Godagari

RAJSHAHI, Jan 31: Garlic intercropping with guava has been gaining momentum in the region as the growers in general are getting interested towards the farming.
Among them, a farmer named Rafiqul Islam of Gaurangobari village under Matikata union of Godagari upazila, has started the cultivation of garlic at 40 bighas of land side by side guava as intercropping.  
While talking to the Daily Observer, Rafiqul Islam said that he started guava cultivation taking lease of 40 bighas of land. Meanwhile, he has cultivated garlic at his 30 bighas of the same land applying bed method without any digging of soil, according to suggestion of the upazila agricultural office.
 It does not require extra irrigation for garlic as guava orchards are irrigated on a regular basis. He has sowed four maunds of garlic seeds in per bigha of land. It costs around Tk 40,000 for per bigha of garlic cultivation adopting this method.
 Now the garlic plants are growing very well. He is expecting to get the production of 30 maunds per bigha if the weather conditions remain favourable till its harvest, he also said.
After garlic cultivation, he would cultivate pumpkin in his guava orchard, he added.
 Intercropping of guava with various cereal crops like garlic and pumpkin is possible for two years until guava trees bear fruits; he said adding that he is hopeful of earning Tk 15 lakh from garlic cultivation during the period.
In this regard, Belal Uddin, deputy agriculture officer of Kathalbaria Block of the upazila, said that garlic fields do not usually get affected with diseases. But sometimes it is affected with fungus. Farmers can use robharal powder to get rid of this disease attack. Farmers can spry it mixing water at their garlic fields.
 Besides, they can use C-gold to keep leafs of garlic plants fresh.  He also suggested the farmers to start intercropping of various cereal crops with newly planted orchards.