Tomato farmers at Bagha becomes self-reliant

RAJSHAHI, Jan 4: Many farmers of Bagha upazila living on the Padma riverbank have become self-reliant in tomato cultivation in recent years.
Now they are passing busy times in collecting and selling tomato in local markets. They have also achieved bumper production of tomato this year.
Habibur Rahman, a tomato grower of Koligram in the upazila, said, "I have been earning quick profit from tomato cultivation on the riverbank for the last several years. This year I have cultivated tomato on 20 bighas of land. I have already started collecting tomatoes and selling those in the markets. Now per kilogram tomato is being sold at Tk 20 to 22. Like me, many others have also become self-reliant through tomato cultivation."  
While visiting different areas of the upazila, this correspondent found many farmers busy in collecting tomato from the fields. Tomato is one of the main cash vegetables in the upazila.
According to sources at the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) in Bagha, the farmers here have cultivated different varieties of tomato like Nasib, Salamot-83, Bongio, Mintu Super and Bizli on 1,500 hectares of land this season and achieved bumper output.  
While talking to The Daily Observer, Abul Kalam and Babul Dewan, tomato growers of the upazila said, "The farmers here are more interested in tomato cultivation as they are getting bumper production with fair price in the last several years. Many wholesalers are buying tomatoes from the farmers' fields at Tk 17 to 18 per kilogram. Now, tomato is selling at Tk 20 to 22 per kg in the markets."
Besides the riverbank areas, many farmers at Arani, Bausa, Monigram, Sorar Hat and Bagha Sadar areas have cultivated tomato this year. Truckloads of tomato are sent to different districts including capital Dhaka from here daily, they added.
Kamrul Islam of Khayer Haat said, the farmers here have achieved bumper tomato yield this year due to favourable weather.
Sabina Yeasmin, upazila agriculture officer, said, as the soil of the riverbank area is very fertile and suitable for tomato farming so the farmers are getting more interested in the cultivation with bumper production and fair price.
If the weather remains favourable and there is no disease attack, the farmers would achieve bumper production of tomato and earn much benefit this year like the previous years, the agriculture officer added.